International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, 305-0047 Japan.
Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2013 Jul 14;15(26):10566-79. doi: 10.1039/c3cp50293g. Epub 2013 Apr 4.
Recent improvements in beam-line accessibility and technology have led to small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) becoming more frequently applied to materials problems. SANS has been used to study the assembly, dispersion, alignment and mixing of nanoscale condensed matter, as well as to characterise the internal structure of organic thin films, porous structures and inclusions within steel. Using time-resolved SANS, growth mechanisms in materials systems and soft matter phase transitions can also be explored. This review is intended for newcomers to SANS as well as experts. Therefore, the basic knowledge required for its use is first summarised. After this introduction, various examples are given of the types of soft and hard matter that have been studied by SANS. The information that can be extracted from the data is highlighted, alongside the methods used to obtain it. In addition to presenting the findings, explanations are provided on how the SANS measurements were optimised, such as the use of contrast variation to highlight specific parts of a structure. Emphasis is placed on the use of complementary techniques to improve data quality (e.g. using other scattering methods) and the accuracy of data analysis (e.g. using microscopy to separately determine shape and size). This is done with a view to providing guidance on how best to design and analyse future SANS measurements on materials not listed below.
近年来，光束线的可及性和技术的改进使得小角中子散射（SANS）在材料问题中的应用越来越频繁。SANS 已被用于研究纳米凝聚态物质的组装、分散、排列和混合，以及有机薄膜、多孔结构和钢中的夹杂物的内部结构。通过使用时间分辨 SANS，还可以探索材料体系中的生长机制和软物质相变。本综述面向 SANS 的新手和专家。因此，首先总结了使用它所需的基本知识。在这个介绍之后，给出了 SANS 研究的各种软物质和硬物质的例子。突出了可以从数据中提取的信息，以及用于获取信息的方法。除了介绍研究结果外，还解释了如何优化 SANS 测量，例如使用对比变化来突出结构的特定部分。强调使用互补技术来提高数据质量（例如使用其他散射方法）和数据分析的准确性（例如使用显微镜分别确定形状和大小）。这样做是为了提供有关如何最好地设计和分析未来关于未列出的材料的 SANS 测量的指导。
