TY - THES T1 - Nanostructure Research by Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering: From Instrument Design to New Insights in Materials Sciences T2 - Physics Y1 - 2016 A1 - András Wacha AB -

My thesis work presents the versatility of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) method in the structural research of nanomaterials. It contains the details of the design and construction of a new, highly effective laboratory SAXS instrument. The uniqueness of this apparatus—{}even by international standards—{}lies in the extremely broad small- and wide-angle range, and its high signal-to-noise ratio. This is ensured by the special optimization method developed for the beam shaping system. The performance of the instrument is further enhanced by the custom-made instrument control software and data analysis framework, the flexibility and accuracy of which is outstanding even among synchrotron SAXS beamlines. Due to these special methods, material systems which are too weak scatterers for traditional laboratory cameras became measurable on this apparatus. I have validated the instrument by accurately determining the size distribution of spherical SiO2 nanoparticles. Other new scientific results obtained using this instrument are presented on case studies of size and shape determination of protein solutions, and in situ characterization of a self-assembling gold-cysteine photoluminescent nanocomplex. Additionally, results on the anisotropy in wood-derived activated carbons are also presented, showcasing the possibilities of SAXS on complex hierarchical systems, as well as the algorithms developed for the instrument and SAXS data interpretation in general.

JF - Physics PB - Budapest University of Technology and Economics CY - Budapest VL - PhD UR - https://repozitorium.omikk.bme.hu/bitstream/handle/10890/1524/ertekezes.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y ER -