Neutron And X Ray Scattering In Advancing Materials Research

The conference comprises of 3-day symposium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There were over 150 participants coming from regional and international universitites, research institutions and companies. Malaysian Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, and International Atomic Energy Agency, International Union of Crystallography, and Malaysia Nuclear Society provided support to the event.

All papers have peer-reviewed. Neutron, especially together with X-ray scattering techniques have been showing the elegant and tremendous achievements in revealing the static and dynamic structures in the wide range of materials, i.e. alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, and also biological materials for advanced purposes. With the intention on establishing the techniques due to the availibility of the facilities at neutron scattering laboratory in Indonesia and a light X-ray synchrotron laboratory in Singapore, then the next future works and collaborations, especially in the southeast Asian region will be strengthened and enlightened.

In these proceedings from the symposium of November-December 2004, participants describe their work in x-rays and neutrons as probes of local atomic order and dynamics, in the dynamics and structure of polymers (including a paper on large-scale morphology of dispersed layered silicates), biopolymers and composites, in x-rays and neutrons as probes of electronic and magnetic structure, novel methods and nanomaterials, and x-ray and neutron investigations of microstructure and strain, including a paper on 2D and 3D x-ray structural microscopy using submicron-resolution Laue microdiffraction. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

During the last few decades, crystallography has become a wide and economically important field of science with many interesting applications in materials research, in different branches of physics, chemistry, geology, pharmacology, biochemistry, electronics, in many technological processes, machinery, heavy industry, etc. Twenty Nobel prizes awarded for achieve ments belonging to this· field only underline its distinction. Crystallo graphy has become a commonly used term, but - like a whale - it is much easier to recognize than to describe because of an extreme diversity of sub jects involved which range from highly sophisticated theories to the develop ment of routine technological processes or testing of materials in produc tion. It is apparent that only some aspects of selected topics could be included on a single occasion. The conference "ADVANCED METHODS IN X-RAY AND NEUTRON STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS" held in Karlovy Vary (Czechoslovakia) on October 5-9, 1987, was intended to cover the most important crystallographic aspects of ma terials science. The conference was attended by 250 people from 16 countries (Belgium,Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, FRG, GDR, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, USA, USSR and Yugoslavia).

Besides its coverage of the four important aspects of synchrotron sources, materials and material processes, measuring techniques, and applications, this ready reference presents both important method types: diffraction and tomography. Following an introduction, a general section leads on to methods, while further sections are devoted to emerging methods and industrial applications. In this way, the text provides new users of large-scale facilities with easy access to an understanding of both the methods and opportunities offered by different sources and instruments.

This volume collects the proceedings of the 23rd International Course of Crystallography, entitled "X-ray and Neutron Dynamical Diffraction, Theory and Applications," which took place in the fascinating setting of Erice in Sicily, Italy. It was run as a NATO Advanced Studies Institute with A. Authier (France) and S. Lagomarsino (Italy) as codirectors, and L. Riva di Sanseverino and P. Spadon (Italy) as local organizers, R. Colella (USA) and B. K. Tanner (UK) being the two other members of the organizing committee. It was attended by about one hundred participants from twenty four different countries. Two basic theories may be used to describe the diffraction of radiation by crystalline matter. The first one, the so-called geometrical, or kinematical theory, is approximate and is applicable to small, highly imperfect crystals. It is used for the determination of crystal structures and describes the diffraction of powders and polycrystalline materials. The other one, the so-called dynamical theory, is applicable to perfect or nearly perfect crystals. For that reason, dynamical diffraction of X-rays and neutrons constitutes the theoretical basis of a great variety of applications such as: • the techniques used for the characterization of nearly perfect high technology materials, semiconductors, piezoelectric, electrooptic, ferroelectric, magnetic crystals, • the X-ray optical devices used in all modem applications of Synchrotron Radiation (EXAFS, High Resolution X-ray Diffractometry, magnetic and nuclear resonant scattering, topography, etc. ), and • X-ray and neutron interferometry.

The book presents practical and theoretical works on superplasticity in metals and ceramics, on deformation mechanisms, on processes to obtain large ultrafine-grained structures, on advanced characterization techniques, and on hot deformation of advanced materials. Key papers focus on (1) processing of metallic alloys for achieving exceptional superplastic properties, (2) high-pressure sliding (HPS) processes, (3) in-situ neutron and synchrotron methods, and (4) ultra-severe plastic deformation. Keywords: Superplasticity, Superfunctionality, High-pressure Sliding, High-pressure Torsion, Precise Forming, Numerical Simulation, Aeronautical Parts, Near-unconstrained Superplastic Parts, Low-temperature Superplasticity, Friction Stir Processing, Microstructure Evolution, Corrosion Properties, Duplex Stainless Steel, Grain Boundary Sliding, Laminated Materials, Asymmetric Hot Rolling, Uniaxial Hot Pressing, Diffusion Bonding.

Advanced Characterization of Nanostructured Materials — Probing the Structure and Dynamics with Synchrotron X-Rays and Neutrons is a collection of chapters which review the characterization of the structure and internal dynamics of a wide variety of nanostructured materials using various synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering techniques. It is intended for graduate students and researchers who might be interested in learning about and applying these methods. The authors are well-known practitioners in their fields of research who provide detailed and authoritative accounts of how these techniques have been applied to study systems ranging from thin films and monolayers on solid surfaces and at liquid-air, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces; nanostructured composite materials; battery materials, and catalytic materials. While there have been a great many books published on nanoscience, there are relatively few that have discussed in one volume detailed synchrotron X-ray and neutron methods for advanced characterization of nanomaterials in thin films, composite materials, catalytic and battery materials and at interfaces. This book should provide an incentive and a reference for researchers in nanomaterials for using these techniques as a powerful way to characterize their samples. It should also help to popularize the use of synchrotron and neutron facilities by the nanoscience community.