X-ray Diffraction: A Powerful Technique for the Multiple-Length-Scale Structural Analysis of Nanomaterials

• Published in: Crystals Vol. 6; no. 8; p. 87
• Main Authors: Giannini, Cinzia, Ladisa, Massimo, Altamura, Davide, Siliqi, Dritan, Sibillano, Teresa, De Caro, Liberato
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2016
• Subjects: microscopy; nanomaterials; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 2073-4352; 2073-4352
• DOI: 10.3390/cryst6080087

During recent decades innovative nanomaterials have been extensively studied, aiming at both investigating the structure-property relationship and discovering new properties, in order to achieve relevant improvements in current state-of-the art materials. Lately, controlled growth and/or assembly of nanostructures into hierarchical and complex architectures have played a key role in engineering novel functionalized materials. Since the structural characterization of such materials is a fundamental step, here we discuss X-ray scattering/diffraction techniques to analyze inorganic nanomaterials under different conditions: dispersed in solutions, dried in powders, embedded in matrix, and deposited onto surfaces or underneath them.