Microstructure characterisation through ultra-small-angle neutron scattering

Modern materials science and engineering rely increasingly on detailed knowledge of the microstructure and interactions in soft and hard materials. Contemporary research areas comprise, e.g., biology and the life sciences, porosity, particle sizes as well as complex fluids. At the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS) at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) we apply small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) as well as ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) for probing structures and interfaces of bulk samples of such substances on length scales ranging between approximately 1 nm and 10 μm. Both techniques, SANS and USANS, provide information on bulk properties with minimal sample preparation, and can be used to analyse the internal three-dimensional structure of materials in a non-destructive manner. This paper will focus on the capabilities of the USANS instrument at ANSTO.