TIT# Extraction, representation and interpretation of nanoscale domain
     structure information from small-angle scattering patterns
AUT# Stribeck, Norbert;
SOU# Fibr. Text. EE (2003), 11(5), 33-45
LOC# xv073
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ABS# A method for SAXS analysis and its applications to the field
     of materials science is presented and corresponding papers
     are reviewed. The method permits to extract and visualize
     topological structure information contained in scattering
     patterns from small-angle scattering (SAS) without complex
     pretreatment. Multi-dimensional data can be processed. Such
     data are for instance accumulated in the field of materials
     science in time-resolved in-situ SAXS experiments with
     synchrotron radiation. The result is a multi-dimensional
     chord distribution function (CDF), that is defined as the
     Laplacian of the correlation function. It is equivalent
     to the autocorrelation of the gradient of the electron density.
     The procedure is, in particular, adapted to the analysis
     of the nanoscale structure of samples with fiber symmetry,
     such as of polymer fibers or of strained elastomers. Multi-dimensional
     relations among morphological components become apparent
     in real space and help to elucidate the nature of processes
     governing evolution of nanostructure. The background subtraction
     problem is proposed to be solved by spatial frequency filtering.
     According to the proposed notion, the domain structure information
     of the studied nanocomposite is contained in the spatial
     frequency band between background and noise. The method
     can be applied to scattering curves from isotropic samples
     as well. In this case chord length distributions (CLD) or
     interface distributions (IDF) are computed. Here the advantage
     of the method is the possibility to automate data evaluation
     and thus to become able to process large data sets that
     are frequently recorded in time resolved experiments. Examples
     from straining and melting studies of thermoplastic elastomers
     and polyethylene are presented.