The Combined Ultra-Small- and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (USANS/SANS) Technique for Earth Sciences

Abstract

The extension of the well-known Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) technique to Ultra-Small Angles (USANS) provides a unique tool for studying hierarchical structures ranging in size from nanometers to micrometers. Hierarchical structures are common for many natural and man-made materials, which show multi-level morphology (atoms–molecules–aggregates–agglomerates), in other words, are made up of structural units encompassing the atomic, molecular, micro- and macroscopic length scales. Combining USANS and SANS data can provide complete structural information for complicated polydisperse systems, allowing the determination of their complex morphology and hence has been successfully applied to structural studies in geology, petrology, and archeology. This chapter briefly outlines the technique and provides detailed examples of the applications in the Earth Sciences.