The small-angle X-ray scattering instrument is designed to investigate the structure of materials with nanoscale structure, such as polymers, proteins, colloids and ceramics. The state-of-the-art instrument features an Incoatec microfocus X-ray source, Montel optics, three pinhole collimation, a large sample chamber for different environments and a Vantec area detector (2048 x 2048 pixels, 100 µm resolution). The available range of ‘d-spacings’ is from approximately 2 nm to 125 nm, i.e. : qmin = 0.05 nm-1, qmax = 3.1 nm-1, the lowest accessible q value depending on whether the instrument is set up in high resolution or high-flux mode. A simultaneous wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) capability is also available, using an image plate system, covering d spacings in the 0.1-1 nm range. The system can handle liquids mounted in custom made capillaries and also powders, sandwiched between X-ray windows (mica or kapton). Temperature control using an MRI electrical heating unit, with water cooling, is available from room temperature to 300 °C. It is also possible to use Couette and capillary flow cells for shearing samples to investigate flow orientation.
