Bolze J., Rekhi S., Macchiarola K., Litteer B.
PANalytical B.V., NL
Keywords: nanomaterials, particle size distribution, porosity, SAXS, specific surface area
We present the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique for the investigation of crystalline and amorphous materials on a mesoscopic length scale ranging from ca. 1 – 100 nm. Dry powders or dispersions of inorganic and organic nanoparticles can be characterized with respect to their particle size distribution, specific surface area and inner structure. In case of porous materials the specific inner surface area and pore size distribution may be determined. SAXS is a fast method that does not require a specific sample preparation. It has a very good precision in particular also for very small particles and pores with a size below 10 nm, also allowing the revelation of multimodal distributions with unrivaled resolution. Automation for routine production control measurements in the lab is possible on a multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer platform. Application examples for the characterization of photocatalytic nanoparticles, porous nanopowders, nanocomposites and related materials will be discussed. The SAXS technique will be compared and contrasted with other particle and pore size techniques, with data comparisons. It will be demonstrated that a powder diffractometer commonly used for X-ray diffraction (XRD) applications can be easily configured for SAXS measurements.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 1, Nanotechnology 2010: Advanced Materials, CNTs, Particles, Films and Composites
Published: June 21, 2010
Pages: 57 - 60
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topic: Materials Characterization & Imaging
ISBN: 978-1-4398-3401-5