Neutrons in Soft Matter

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.

Preface vii

Contributors ix

I Neutron Scattering 1

I.1 Basics Concepts 1
Ferenc Mezei

II Instrumentation 29

II.1 Small-Angle Neutron Scattering 29

II.1.1 Small-Angle Neutron Scattering at Reactor Sources 29
Kell Mortensen

II.1.2 SANS Instruments at Pulsed Neutron Sources 57
Toshiya Otomo

II.1.3 Ultra-Small-Angle Neutron Scattering 73

II.1.3.1 Bonse–Hart USANS Instrument 73
Michael Agamalian

II.1.3.2 Focusing USANS Instrument 94
Satoshi Koizumi

II.2 Neutron Reflectometry 115
Naoya Torikai

II.3 Quasielastic and Inelastic Neutron Scattering 147

II.3.1 Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy 147
Michael Monkenbusch and Dieter Richter

II.3.2 Neutron Backscattering 183
Bernhard Frick and Dan Neumann

II.3.3 Time-of-Flight Spectrometry 203
Ruep E. Lechner

II.4 Neutron Imaging 269
Nobuyuki Takenaka

III Data Treatment and Sample Environment 285

III.1 Practical Aspects of SANS Experiments 285
George D. Wignall

III.2 Structure Analysis 311
Hideki Seto

III.3 Calculation of Real Space Parameters and Ab Initio Models from Isotropic Elastic SANS Patterns 329
Peter V. Konarev and Dmitri I. Svergun

III.4 Contrast Variation 351
Mitsuhiro Hirai

III.5 Sample Environment: Soft Matter Sample Environment for Small-Angle Neutron Scattering and Neutron Reflectometry 383
Peter Lindner, Ralf Schweins, and Richard A. Campbell

IV Applications 415

IV.1 Hierarchical Structure of Small Molecules 415
Tsang-Lang Lin

IV.2 Structure of Dendritic Polymers and Their Films 435
Koji Mitamura and Toyoko Imae

IV.3 Dynamics of Polymers 455
Toshiji Kanaya and Barbara J.Gabrys

IV.4 Inhomogeneous Structure and Dynamics of Condensed Soft Matter 493
Mitsuhiro Shibayama

IV.5 Protein Dynamics Studied by Neutron Incoherent Scattering 517
Mikio Kataoka and Hiroshi Nakagawa

IV.6 Polymer Interfaces and Thin Films 539
David G. Bucknall

IV.7 Neutron Diffraction from Polymers and Other Soft Matter 571
Geoffrey R. Mitchell

V Current Facilities 601

V.1 Pulsed Neutron Sources and Facilities 601
Masatoshi Arai

V.2 Reactor Overview 621
Colin J. Carlile

Index 643

TOYOKO IMAE, PhD, is a professor at the Graduate Institute of Engineering at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, working on various aspects of polymers and nanomaterials, and a professor emeritus at Nagoya University, Japan.

TOSHIJI KANAYA, PhD, is a professor at the Institute for Chemical Research at Kyoto University in Japan, where he specializes in areas of polymer physics. Professor Kanaya has contributed to the book Polyolefin Composites, also from Wiley.

MICHIHIRO FURUSAKA, PhD, is a professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at Hokkaido University, Japan, working in the field of neutron instrumentation and optics.

NAOYA TORIKAI, PhD, is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at Mie University, Japan, working in research areas of polymer physics, after serving as an instrument scientist of a pulsed neutron reflectometer at High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK).

A one-of-a-kind guide to the theory, instruments, and applications of neutron scattering techniques

Neutrons in Soft Matter is the first guide of its kind to focus on the use of instruments in neutron research. It addresses the anticipated increase in demand for skilled researchers in the field, providing scientists with the tools they need to make the transition from the laboratory to large neutron facilities.

Written by a team of experts in neutron research, this guidebook provides clear instructions on using neutron scattering techniques to conduct experiments in diverse areas, including biotechnology, nanotechnology, environmental science, and energy-related fields. It includes highly useful information for materials scientists, physicists, chemists, and biologists working with soft matter such as polymers, gels, micelles, supramolecules, and biomolecules, and instrumentation for them using steady and pulsed neutron sources.

Complete coverage, from theory to applications, includes:

• The basic concepts of neutron scattering

• Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), neutron reflectometry, quasielastic and inelastic neutron scattering, and neutron imaging

• Data treatment

• Sample environment

• Numerous applications of small and large molecules, biomolecules, and gels

• Global neutron sources and facilities with an overview of different reactors

Timely, practical, and comprehensive, Neutrons in Soft Matter is an excellent resource for chemists, materials scientists, physicists, biologists, and anyone who would like to deepen his or her understanding of neutron scattering techniques.