Characterization of nanomaterials with total scattering and pair distribution function analysis: Examples from metal oxide nanochemistry

Abstract

The development of new functional nanomaterials builds on an understanding of the intricate relation between material structure and properties. Only by knowing the atomic arrangement can the mechanisms responsible for material properties be elucidated and new materials and technologies developed. Nanomaterials challenge the crystallographic techniques often used for structure characterization, and the structure of many nanomaterials are therefore often assumed to be 'cut-outs' of the corresponding bulk material. Here, I will discuss how Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis of total scattering data can aid nanochemists in obtaining a structural understanding of nanoscale materials, focusing on examples from metal oxide chemistry.