Small-angle x-ray scattering measurement of a mist of ethanol nanodroplets: An approach to understanding ultrasonic separation of ethanol-water mixtures
A novel apparatus has been developed that enables the simultaneous determination of the absorption factor during measurement of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) intensities of a sample. It was designed especially for the use of relatively low-energy X-rays at SAXS beamlines of synchrotron facilities. The X-ray intensity of transmittance is measured by a silicon PIN photodiode, which is implanted in a direct beamstop set in a vacuum chamber. Since the assembly transmits an attenuated direct beam to a detector during the scattering measurement, a zero-angle position can be monitored without additional operation. It was confirmed that the linearity between the signal from the photodiode and the intensity of X-rays is good and the photodiode is applicable for the desired purpose. For a performance test, the absorption factors of a supercritical fluid were measured with a wide density range.
<b>Here we use in situ small and wide angle X-ray scattering to elucidate unexpected mechanistic insights of the O2 reduction mechanism in Li-O2 batteries.<br></b>
We have directly observed the <i>in situ</i> self-assembly kinetics of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, equipped with a stopped-flow device that provides millisecond temporal resolution. This work has elucidated one general kinetic pathway for the process of PEC micelle formation, which provides useful physical insights for increasing our fundamental understanding of complexation and self-assembly dynamics driven by electrostatic interactions that occur on ultrafast timescales.
Performance of X-ray Reflectivity and Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Measurement at Beamline BL15 of the Saga Light Source