ANSTO User Meeting 2021

Contribution ID : 18 Type : Oral

Total Scattering Measurements at the Australian
Synchrotron Powder Diffraction Beamline:

Capabilities and Limitations
Wednesday, 24 November 2021 12:05 (15)

The PD beamline at the Australian Synchrotron (ANSTO) consistently receives requests to carry out total scat-
tering experiments for various materials including battery electrodes, piezoelectrics and coordination frame-
works. In this study we describe the capabilities and limitations of carrying out total scattering experiments
on the Powder Diffraction beamline. A maximum instrument momentum transfer of 19 Å-1 can be achieved.
Our results detail how the pair distribution function is affected by Qmax, absorption, and counting time dura-
tion at the PD beamline. We also trial a variable counting time strategy using the Mythen II detector. Refined
structural parameters exemplify how the PDF is affected by these parameters. Total scattering experiments
can be carried out at PD although there are limitations. These are: (1) only measurements on stable systems
and at non-ambient conditions is possible if the temperature is held during data collection, (2) it is essential
to dilute highly absorbing samples (µR>1), and (3) only correlation lengths >0.35 Å may be resolved. A case
study comparing the PDF atom-atom correlation lengths with EXAFS derived radial distances of Ni and Pt
nanoparticles is also presented, which shows good agreement between the two techniques. The results here
can be used as a guide for researchers considering total scattering experiments at the PD beamline.

Level of Expertise
Early Career <5 Years

Presenter Gender
Woman

Pronouns
She/Her

Which facility did you use for your research
Australian Synchrotron

Students Only - Are you interested in AINSE student funding
No

Do you wish to take part in the Student Poster Slam
No



Condition of submission
Yes

Primary author(s) : Dr D’ANGELO, Anita (Australian Synchrotron); GU, Qinfen (Australian Synchrotron
(ANSTO)); BRAND, Helen (Australian Synchrotron); MITCHELL, Valerie (Australian Synchrotron); HAMIL-
TON, Jessica (Australian Synchrotron (ANSTO)); Dr LIU, Amelia (Monash University); Dr OLDFIELD, Daniel
(ANSTO)

Presenter(s) : Dr D’ANGELO, Anita (Australian Synchrotron)

Session Classification : Instruments & Techniques

Track Classification : Instruments & Techniques