Ultra-Small-Angle X-ray Scattering of Polymers

Abstract

Ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) is capable of probing structural inhomogeneities in the size range of 1 to 1000 nm. Recent developments of X-ray sources and optics make USAXS increasingly relevant to polymer research. In this review, we examine the current technical state of USAXS instrumentation, and briefly introduce the method of data reduction and analysis. We emphasize USAXS's application in areas such as polymer nanocomposites, polymer gels and solutions, polymer blends, polymer micelles and microemulsions, and colloidal sciences. Finally, we predict more USAXS studies on polymeric systems, especially those with large-scale structures or hierarchical microstructures.

Keywords:

• ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering
• small angle X-ray scattering
• polymers
• colloids

Acknowledgment

Research at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

The submitted manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory (“Argonne”). Argonne, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. The U.S. Government retains for itself, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in said article to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government.