Applications Of Neutron Scattering To Soft Condensed Matter

Neutrons, which are a penetrating yet non destructive probe, are ideally suited to studying the structure, organisation and motion of molecules responsible for the physical properties of materials under a variety of conditions. Applications are in fields as diverse as colloid and polymer science, earth sciences, pharmaceutics, biology and engineering. This book will be of interest to both present and potential future users of neutron sources working in these areas, as both a useful reference and a comprehensive overview.

Neutron scattering has become a key technique for investigating the properties of materials on an atomic scale. The uniqueness of this method is based on the fact that the wavelength and energy of thermal neutrons ideally match interatomic distances and excitation energies in condensed matter, and thus neutron scattering is able to directly examine the static and dynamic properties of the material. In addition, neutrons carry a magnetic moment, which makes them a unique probe for detecting magnetic phenomena. In this important book, an introduction to the basic principles and instrumental aspects of neutron scattering is provided, and the most important phenomena and materials properties in condensed matter physics are described and exemplified by typical neutron scattering experiments, with emphasis on explaining how the relevant information can be extracted from the measurements.

Dynamics of Soft Matter: Neutron Applications provides an overview of neutron scattering techniques that measure temporal and spatial correlations simultaneously, at the microscopic and/or mesoscopic scale. These techniques offer answers to new questions arising at the interface of physics, chemistry, and biology. Knowledge of the dynamics at these levels is crucial to understanding the soft matter field, which includes colloids, polymers, membranes, biological macromolecules, foams, emulsions towards biological & biomimetic systems, and phenomena involving wetting, friction, adhesion, or microfluidics. Emphasizing the complementarities of scattering techniques with other spectroscopic ones, this volume also highlights the potential gain in combining techniques such as rheology, NMR, light scattering, dielectric spectroscopy, as well as synchrotron radiation experiments. Key areas covered include polymer science, biological materials, complex fluids and surface science.

Neutron and synchrotron facilities, which are beyond the scale of the laboratory, and supported on a national level in countries throughout the world. These tools for probing micro- and nano-structure research and on fast dynamics research of atomic location in materials have been key in the development of new polymer-based materials. Different from several existing professional books on neutron science, this book focuses on theory, instrumentation, an applications. The book is divided into five parts: Part 1 describes the underlying theory of neutron scattering. Part 2 describes the various instruments that exist and the various techniques used to achieve neutron scattering or bombardment. Part 3 discusses data treatment and simulation methods as well as how to assess the environment of the sample (temperature, pressure, shear, and external fields). Part 4 addresses the myriad applications of small and large molecules, biomolecules, and gels. Part 5 describes the various global neutron sources that exist and provides an overview of the different reactors.

This book provides ideas on what neutron scattering could look like in the next millennium. In particular, nonconventional, unusual or innovative neutron scattering experiments (from both the scientific and the instrumental point of view) are described which either have novel applications or provide a new insight into science and technology. Chapters on theoretical aspects are adequately included. The scientific and technical areas cover the following topics: novel neutron scattering techniques and perspectives in neutron scattering instrumentation (including sample environment); soft condensed matter, particularly colloids and polymers; materials science and industrial applications; structure and dynamics of multilayers and nanocrystalline materials; dynamical aspects and quantum effects in molecular magnets; strongly correlated electron systems, with emphasis on dynamic correlations in low-dimensional magnets. All these topics are thoroughly introduced and discussed by acknowledged experts. Contents:Principles of Neutron Scattering:Introduction to Neutron Scattering (P Böni & A Furrer)Brillouin Scattering with Neutrons and X-Rays (B Dorner)Instrumentation for Neutron Scattering:Novel Trends in Neutron Optics (I S Anderson et al.)Methods and Perspectives of Neutron Scattering at High Pressure (S Klotz)Soft Condensed Matter:Colloids as Model Systems for Condensed Matter Physics (R Klein)Polymers, Colloids and Microemulsions: Neutron Scattering Experiments (P Schurtenberger, et al.)Molecular Magnetism:Molecular Magnetism: A School of Physics (J Villain)Neutron Scattering of Molecular Magnets (H P Andres et al.)Low-Dimensional Magnetism:Computational Probes of Collective Excitations in Low-Dimensional Magnetism (G Müller & M Karbach)Neutron Scattering (Mostly) from Low Dimensional Magnetic Systems (T G Perring)Multilayers and Nanocrystals:Future Trends in Heterostructure Research with Neutron Scattering (H Zabel)Structure and Dynamics of Nanocrystals (R Hempelmann) Readership: Materials scientists. Keywords:Neutron Scattering;Colloids;Polymers;Material Science;Nanocrystalline Material;Molecular Magnets;Brillouin Scattering;Neutron Optics;Microemulsions;Heterostructure

Scattering experiments, using X-ray, light and neutron sources (in historical order) are key techniques for studying structure and dynamics in systems containing colliods, polymers, surfactants and biological macromolecules, summarized here as soft condensed matter. The education in this field in Europe is very heterogeneous and frequently inadequate, which severely limits an efficient use of these methods, especially at large-scale facilities. The series of "Bombannes" schools and the completely revised and updated second edition of the lecture notes are devoted to a practical approach to current methodology of static and dynamic techiques. Basic information on data interpretation, on the complementarity of the different types of radiation, as well as information on recent applications and developments is presented. The aim is to avoid over - as well as under-exploitation of data.

Neutron Scattering: Applications in Chemistry, Materials Science and Biology, Volume 49, provides an in-depth overview of the applications of neutron scattering in the fields of physics, materials science, chemistry, biology, the earth sciences, and engineering. The book describes the tremendous advances in instrumental, experimental, and computational techniques over the past quarter-century. Examples include the coming-of-age of neutron reflectivity and spin-echo spectroscopy, the advent of brighter accelerator-based neutron facilities and associated techniques in the United States and Japan over the past decade, and current efforts in Europe to develop long-pulse, ultra-intense spallation neutron sources. It acts as a complement to two earlier volumes in the Experimental Methods in the Physical Science series, Neutron Scattering: Fundamentals(Elsevier 2013) and Neutron Scattering: Magnetic and Quantum Phenomena (Elsevier 2015). As a whole, the set enables researchers to identify aspects of their work where neutron scattering techniques might contribute, conceive the important experiments to be done, assess what is required, write a successful proposal for one of the major facilities around the globe, and perform the experiments under the guidance of the appropriate instrument scientist. Completes a three-volume set, providing extensive coverage on emerging and highly topical applications of neutron scattering Addresses the increasing use of neutrons by chemists, life scientists, material scientists, and condensed-matter physicists Presents up-to-date reviews of recent results, enabling readers to identify new opportunities and plan neutron scattering experiments in their own field