Small-angle scattering of X rays and neutrons is a widely used diffraction method for studying the structure of matter. This method of elastic scattering is used in various branches of science and technology, includ ing condensed matter physics, molecular biology and biophysics, polymer science, and metallurgy. Many small-angle scattering studies are of value for pure science and practical applications. It is well known that the most general and informative method for investigating the spatial structure of matter is based on wave-diffraction phenomena. In diffraction experiments a primary beam of radiation influences a studied object, and the scattering pattern is analyzed. In principle, this analysis allows one to obtain information on the structure of a substance with a spatial resolution determined by the wavelength of the radiation. Diffraction methods are used for studying matter on all scales, from elementary particles to macro-objects. The use of X rays, neutrons, and electron beams, with wavelengths of about 1 A, permits the study of the condensed state of matter, solids and liquids, down to atomic resolution. Determination of the atomic structure of crystals, i.e., the arrangement of atoms in a unit cell, is an important example of this line of investigation.

This book addresses the basic physical phenomenon of small-angle scattering (SAS) of neutrons, x-rays or light from complex hierarchical nano- and micro-structures. The emphasis is on developing theoretical models for the material structure containing self-similar or fractal clusters. Within the suggested framework, key approaches for extracting structural information from experimental scattering data are investigated and presented in detail. The range of parameters which can be obtained pave the road towards a better understanding of the correlations between geometrical and various physical properties (electrical, magnetic, mechanical, optical, dynamical, transport etc.) in fractal nano- and micro-materials.

This 2-volume set includes extensive discussions of scattering techniques (light, neutron and X-ray) and related fluctuation and grating techniques that are at the forefront of this field. Most of the scattering techniques are Fourier space techniques. Recent advances have seen the development of powerful direct imaging methods such as atomic force microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. In addition, techniques that can be used to manipulate soft matter on the nanometer scale are also in rapid development. These include the scanning probe microscopy technique mentioned above as well as optical and magnetic tweezers.

This book provides a clear, comprehensible and up-to-date description of how Small Angle Scattering (SAS) can help structural biology researchers. SAS is an efficient technique that offers structural information on how biological macromolecules behave in solution. SAS provides distinct and complementary data for integrative structural biology approaches in combination with other widely used probes, such as X-ray crystallography, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Mass spectrometry and Cryo-electron Microscopy. The development of brilliant synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) beam lines has increased the number of researchers interested in solution scattering. SAS is especially useful for studying conformational changes in proteins, highly flexible proteins, and intrinsically disordered proteins. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with neutron contrast variation is ideally suited for studying multi-component assemblies as well as membrane proteins that are stabilized in surfactant micelles or vesicles. SAS is also used for studying dynamic processes of protein fibrillation in amyloid diseases, and pharmaceutical drug delivery. The combination with size-exclusion chromatography further increases the range of SAS applications. The book is written by leading experts in solution SAS methodologies. The principles and theoretical background of various SAS techniques are included, along with practical aspects that range from sample preparation to data presentation for publication. Topics covered include techniques for improving data quality and analysis, as well as different scientific applications of SAS. With abundant illustrations and practical tips, we hope the clear explanations of the principles and the reviews on the latest progresses will serve as a guide through all aspects of biological solution SAS. The scope of this book is particularly relevant for structural biology researchers who are new to SAS. Advanced users of the technique will find it helpful for exploring the diversity of solution SAS methods and applications. Chapter 3 of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

Fifth volume of a 40 volume series on nanoscience and nanotechnology, edited by the renowned scientist Challa S.S.R. Kumar. This handbook gives a comprehensive overview about X-ray and Neutron Techniques for Nanomaterials Characterization. Modern applications and state-of-the-art techniques are covered and make this volume an essential reading for research scientists in academia and industry.

This book provides the basic theoretical background for X-ray and neutron scattering experiments. Since these techniques are increasingly being used by biologists and chemists, as well as physicists, the book is intended to be accessible to a broad spectrum of scientists.

This manual is a useful ready-reference guide to the analytical power of modern X-ray scattering in the field of soft matter. The author describes simple tools that can elucidate the mechanisms of structure evolution in the studied materials, and follows this up with a step-by-step guide to more advanced methods. Data analysis based on clear, unequivocal results is rendered simple and straightforward – with a stress on careful planning of experiments and adequate recording of all required data.

Magnetic Small-Angle Neutron Scattering provides the first extensive treatment of magnetic small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The theoretical background required to compute magnetic SANS cross sections and correlation functions related to long-wavelength magnetization structures is laidout. The concepts are scrutinized based on the discussion of experimental neutron data. Regarding prior background knowledge, some familiarity with the basic magnetic interactions and phenomena as well as scattering theory is desired.Besides exposing the different origins of magnetic SANS, and furnishing the basics of the magnetic SANS technique in early chapters, a large part of the book is devoted to a comprehensive treatment of the continuum theory of micromagnetics, as it is relevant for the study of the elastic magneticSANS cross section. Analytical expressions for the magnetization Fourier components allow to highlight the essential features of magnetic SANS and to analyze experimental data both in reciprocal, as well as in real space. Later chapters provide an overview on the magnetic SANS of nanoparticles andso-called complex systems (e.g., ferrofluids, magnetic steels, spin glasses and amorphous magnets). It is this subfield where major progress is expected to be made in the coming years, mainly via the increased usage of numerical micromagnetic simulations (Chapter 7), which is a very promisingapproach for the understanding of the magnetic SANS from systems exhibiting nanoscale spin inhomogeneity.

This book focuses on the widely used experimental techniques available for the structural, morphological, and spectroscopic characterization of materials. Recent developments in a wide range of experimental techniques and their application to the quantification of materials properties are an essential side of this book. Moreover, it provides concise but thorough coverage of the practical and theoretical aspects of the analytical techniques used to characterize a wide variety of functional nanomaterials. The book provides an overview of widely used characterization techniques for a broad audience: from beginners and graduate students, to advanced specialists in both academia and industry.