Characterizing polymer structure with small-angle neutron scattering: A Tutorial

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique that has been widely used to study polymer materials. In particular, it can provide information on the size, shape, and structure of polymers as well as associated thermodynamic quantities. However, to properly design SANS experiments and correctly interpret the results, it is necessary to understand the unique advantages inherent to neutron scattering measurements of soft materials and the underlying principles of the technique. In addition, it may be necessary to construct new scattering models. In this Tutorial, we provide an overview of SANS and a guide to interpreting SANS measurements of polymers that is aimed at new and prospective users—focusing on standard plots, models, and simple methods by which new models can be quickly constructed.