Basic X-Ray Scattering for Soft Matter

by Wim H. de Jeu

Overview

X-ray scattering is a well-established technique in materials science. Several excellent textbooks exist in this field, but these texts are typically written by physicists who use mathematics to make things clear. Consequently these books appeal less to students and scientists in the field of soft matter (polymers, liquid crystals, colloids, self-assembled organic systems) who usually have a more chemical-oriented background with limited mathematics. Moreover, they need to know about the technique of x-ray scattering, but do not intend to become an expert. The aim of this small book is to explain basic principles and applications of x-ray scattering in a simple way using many practical examples followed by more elaborate case studies. The book contains a separate chapter on the different types of order/disorder in soft matter that play such an important role in modern self-assembling systems. Finally the last chapter treats soft matter surfaces and thin film that are increasingly used in coatings and in many technological applications, such as liquid crystal displays and nanostructured block copolymer films. This little book has been written for the large community of soft matter students and scientists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198728672
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	06/15/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	148
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Wim H. de Jeu, Advisor, DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials

Wim de Jeu dedicated most of his scientific life to studying soft matter, starting with liquid crystals at Philips Research (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) in the early days of liquid-crystal displays. At a later stage he established the group Order/Disorder in Soft Matter at the FOM Institute AMOLF in Amsterdam, in combination with a serving as a professor of Physical Characterization of Polymers at the Eindhoven University of Technology. At Eindhoven, he investigated problems in polymer and liquid-crystal physics, including phase transitions and ordering in films and at surfaces, using modern x-ray methods. He played an active role at various synchrotrons, in particular the ESRF (Grenoble, France), and was regularly invited as speaker.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction and overview2. Basic scattering by particles3. Order/disorder in soft matter4. Diffraction physics - Scattering by crystals5. Applications to soft matter6. Soft matter surfaces and films

Editorial Reviews

"This book is very helpful to get a basic understanding of X-ray scattering in view of its most common applications to soft matter. It is written with the intention to help users of the technique enter the field, and should fulfil this intention very well." — Contemporary Physics

"The stated aim is to provide a guide to the essential principles of X-ray scattering methods for new users such as graduate students who are interested in soft matter without any emphasis on either detailed theory or elaborate description of experimental methods. The book, in general, meets this goal admirably." — Crystallography Reviews

"Beyond doubt, Wim de Jeu's attempt accomplished a short account with a well-balanced evaluation of theoretical foundations and experimental studies. ... [He] has written a useful account to introduce the field of X-ray scattering for soft matter, which avoids all unnecessary details and still succeeds in addressing a broad audience." — Angewandte Chemie

"[I]t shows illustrative examples from a wide range of soft matter systems without being oversimplifying. ... It is an excellent source of information for researchers who wish to employ x-ray scattering once in a while as a method of structure determination, but who do not need to be familiar with every little aspect of the theory and methodology. And frankly, at this price, you cannot go wrong; it is definitely a very valuable addition to every researcher's bookshelf." — Liquid Crystals Today

From the Publisher