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Experimental determination of resolution function parameters from small‐angle neutron scattering data of a colloidal SiO 2 dispersion
Author(s) -
Vad T.,
Sager W. F. C.,
Zhang J.,
Buitenhuis J.,
Radulescu A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s0021889810022156
Subject(s) - small angle scattering , scattering , dispersion (optics) , optics , small angle neutron scattering , resolution (logic) , neutron scattering , biological small angle scattering , structure factor , materials science , molecular physics , bragg peak , range (aeronautics) , neutron , computational physics , chemistry , beam (structure) , physics , crystallography , nuclear physics , artificial intelligence , computer science , composite material
A dilute dispersion of charge‐stabilized, monodisperse silica nanoparticles has been used to determine the instrumental resolution function parameters of a conventional small‐angle neutron scattering instrument in pinhole geometry over the entire accessible range of momentum transfer q . Independent determination of the structure parameters of the colloidal silica dispersion by small‐angle X‐ray scattering enables refinement of both the q ‐independent geometric and the q ‐dependent (wavelength spread or polychromaticity of the neutron beam) contributions to the resolution function. The procedure described is appropriate if no further instrumental characterization is available. It is demonstrated that the sample used for refining the resolution function parameters has to exhibit sharp structural scattering features such as Bragg reflections, form factor maxima and minima, or an inter‐particle correlation peak for each instrumental configuration at which the measurements have been performed to cover a q range of two orders of magnitude (0.03 < q < 3.2 nm −1 ).