X-ray scattering method

Garzon FH, Davey JR, Bomp R. 2006. Fuel cell catalyst particle size growth characterized by X-ray scattering methods. ECS Transactions 1(8) 153. 

A detailed electrochemical study of Ni(l 11) electrodes in H2SO4 solution in conjunction with in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and in situ surface X-ray scattering methods (SXS, x-ray diffraction and x-ray reflectivity) was carried out by Scherer et al. [18]. 

William T. Heller obtained his PhD in physics from Rice University in 1999. After postdoctoral training at Los Alamos National Laboratory, he moved to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for additional postdoctoral training before accepting a post as chemist/biophysicist in the Chemical Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His work entails the application of neutron and x-ray scattering methods to the study of the structure and function of biological macromolecules and the characterization of materials. 

Lipfert, J., Herschlag, D., and Doniach, S. (2009). Riboswitch conformations revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering. Methods Mol. Biol. 540, 141—159. 

We therefore suggest that the x-ray scattering method can be useful in studies of the pore structure of coals. In particular, the scattering curves from medium-rank and low-rank coals can provide an estimate of the specific surfaces associated with the macropores and the transition pores. This information is difficult to obtain by other techniques. 

Although Pessen et al. (1971) used newly developed apparatus to improve the small-angle X-ray scattering method, they could not reproduce the differences found by Krigbaum and Kiigler (1970) and concluded that, except for a small difference in the extent of hydration, the two proteins have essentially identical macromolecular parameters. 

X-ray scattering methods provide a route to unambiguously determining the basic structural characteristics of polymeric materials. The penetration of X-rays means that these techniques are not restricted to thin films, as in the case of IR spectroscopy, or optically transparent materials, as in the case of optical microscopy. Complex materials including filled polymers, composites, and other optically opaque samples, such as semi-crystalline polymers, can be studied with ease. Moreover, the sample preparation required for X-ray scattering techniques is often minimal. 

Complementary use, in future, of small angle solution synchrotron X-ray scattering methods with electron microscopy could contribute to the clarification of the path of the linker DNA. Thus further experiments seeking a universal model for the chromatin fibre structure need to be undertaken although the existence of such a universal structure is questionable. More importantly future investigations need to be aimed at imderstanding what relevance the structure of the fibre has to the control of DNA transcription and replication. 

This article is intended to give a survey of the application of synchrotron radiation (S.R.) in polymer science. Although several experimental techniques exist in the field of polymer physics and chemistry which could exploit the advantages of S.R., the main effort lies on the various X-ray scattering methods. Especially numerous time resolved small-angle X-ray scattering measurements facilitated by S.R. for the first time and many questions that have been answered by these experiments. 

The materials thus obtained exhibit rather small specific surface area, 200—SOOm /g, if measured by nitrogen adsorption. Interestingly, for the same samples, smaU-angle X-ray scattering method gives the surface area of 860 and 1030m/g, respectively. The mismatch of data was explained by the presence of closed pores or pores inaccessible to nitrogen molecules. 

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