Day: February 23, 2012

Materials Characterization using Scattering Techniques

Monday, February 27, 2012 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Room 610, M&M Building

Heinz Nakotte
Gardiner Professor, Chair of the Engineering Physics Committee, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University
and
Instrument Scientist, Single Crystal Diffractometer (SCD), Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Abstract

In many cases, materials properties of interest for applications are determined by the structuralfeatures at atomic, nano and/or micron level. While diffraction typically only provides a measureof the volume-averaged structure of the material of interest, the local structure is accessiblethrough total-scattering studies in combination with pair-distribution function analysis. In mylecture, I intend to discuss and compare the opportunities and limitations of total-scatteringstudies using neutrons and synchroton X-rays. I will present some recent results of two of myresearch projects, i.e. local structure of a non-platinum catalyst and evidence for resonant unitmodes in a framework structure that exhibit negative-thermal-expansion behavior. If time permits,I will also provide a brief summary of my other research projects.