Scientific Program

Research Techniques

Advanced Crystallography

NSF’s ChemMatCARS – Advanced Crystallography program is delicated to small-molecule single crystal X-ray diffraction. The diffractometers are pre-aligned internally and can be moved into the beam when required. This flexibility allows us to take advantage of beam availability at short notice, a capability that has been used extensively in user experiments.

Uses a “rapid setup” crystallography facility that allows us to rapidly switch operation to the single-crystal instrument.

Available Techniques & Instruments

Liquid Surface/Interface X-ray Scattering

Synchrotron x-ray surface scattering is the most powerful probe of molecular and mesoscale structure at liquid-vapor and liquid-liquid interfaces. The precise and flexible design of the liquid surface and interface reflectometer at NSF’s ChemMatCARS (APS, 15-ID-C) and the high brilliance and wide x-ray energy range (5-70 keV) offered in this third generation insertion device beamline provides a world-leading capability for the study of liquid surfaces and buried liquid-liquid interfaces.

Used to investigate dynamical and structural properties of surfaces and interfaces in a variety of liquid systems.

Available Techniques & Instruments

Anomalous Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering

The ASWAXS facility at NSF’s ChemMatCARS focuses on element specific structural study of soft matter systems such as polyelectrolytes, colloids, polymers, macro-ions in solutions, and nanomaterials at the length scales from sub-nanometer to hundreds of nanometer. NSF’s ChemMatCARS has developed a set of easy to use analysis tools which enable the users to extract quantitative spatial distribution of specific elements (with atomic number Z> 25) within their samples from ASWAXS measurements.

Focuses on element specific structural study of soft-matter in nano-dimensions.

Available Techniques & Instruments