What is wide angle x ray scattering?

Wide angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) is a technique used to study the structural properties of crystalline solids and materials. It is a non-destructive method that uses x-ray diffraction to analyze the atomic and molecular structure of samples. WAXS is widely used in material science, chemistry, and pharmaceutical research to understand the structural properties of materials at the atomic and molecular level.

In WAXS, a polycrystalline sample is exposed to a beam of high-energy x-rays, and the resulting diffraction pattern is analyzed to determine the crystal structure of the material. The scattering angles used in WAXS are typically in the range of 5-80 degrees, which is much wider than the range used in conventional x-ray diffraction (XRD). This wide angle range allows for the analysis of complex crystal structures that cannot be studied using conventional XRD.

WAXS has a number of advantages over other techniques, such as small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). WAXS offers higher resolution and sensitivity, meaning that the technique can detect smaller changes in crystal structure and orientation. It is also a faster technique than TEM and can be used to analyze larger samples in real-time.

Overall, WAXS is a powerful technique for studying the structural properties of crystalline materials, and is widely used in materials science research to understand the atomic and molecular structure of materials.