Brillouin and Umklapp scattering in polybutadiene: comparison of neutron and x-ray scattering

We report a comparison of high resolution inelastic x-ray Brillouin scattering to coherent inelastic neutron scattering for amorphous deuterated polybutadiene, done for one temperature in the glass phase and another one in the melt. The x-ray scattering proves to be by far the better technique for such a polymer within its present resolution bounds. The neutron scattering allows one to extend these measurements to a much better resolution, showing an additional quasielastic signal in the melt. The results suggest x-ray measurements at higher momentum transfer, to see whether they are complementary to neutrons.     

Study of tetrabutylammonium bromide in aqueous solution by neutron scattering

The study of electrolyte solutions by neutron scattering is an example of the large range of possibilities of the technique. Structure and dynamics at different time and length scales, discrimination of global from local motions, separation of coherent from incoherent contributions are necessary to embrace the complexity of a subject where charge and hydrophobicity play important and competitive roles. The behaviour of aqueous solutions of tetrabutylammonium bromide is studied here by several neutron scattering techniques: Small Angle Neutron Scattering, Neutron Diffraction, Time-of-Flight and Neutron Spin Echo. We concentrate on the conformation and dynamics of the hydrophobic cations. In particular, the center-of-mass (CoM) motion of the cation at the microscopic scale is best described via the low Q coherent signal, as measured by Neutron Spin Echo. Due to a possible cage formation effect in the TBABr solution, at the scale of the distance between cations, the cationic CoM relaxation time is larger than that predicted by a simple extrapolation of results issued from the hydrodynamic regime and those obtained from the incoherent signal analysis.     

Hydration of the chloride ion in concentrated aqueous solutions using neutron scattering and molecular dynamics

Neutron scattering experiments were performed on 6 m LiCl solutions in order to obtain the solvation structure around the chloride ion. Molecular dynamics simulations on systems mirroring the concentrated electrolyte conditions of the experiment were carried out with a variety of chloride force-fields. In each case the simulations were run with both full ionic charges and employing the electronic continuum correction (implemented through charge scaling) to account effectively for electronic polarisation. The experimental data were then used to assess the successes and shortcomings of the investigated force-fields. We found that due to the very good signal-to-noise ratio in the experimental data, they provide a very narrow window for the position of the first hydration shell of the chloride ion. This allowed us to establish the importance of effectively accounting for electronic polarisation, as well as adjusting the ionic size, for obtaining a force-field which compares quantitatively to the experimental data. The present results emphasise the utility of performing neutron diffraction with isotopic substitution as a powerful tool in gaining insight and examining the validity of force-fields in concentrated electrolyte solutions.     

The dynamics of water in small volumes probed by incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering

Summary The dynamics of water molecules occupying very small volumes can be probed by incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering. We summarise some results obtained with wet samples of porous silica and hydrated proteins. The movements of the molecules in the vicinity of the substrate are extremely reduced as compared to those of bulk water at the same temperature. Almost only rotational movements subsist and the local diffusion is of the order of that observed in deeply supercooled water. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.     

Magnetic chirality as probed by neutron scattering

We review the concept of chirality, at first briefly in a general context then in the specific framework of the spin networks. We next discuss to what extent neutron scattering appears as an unconvertible tool to probe magnetic chirality in the static and dynamical regimes of the spins. The remarkable chiral ground state and excitations of the Fe?langasite compound finally serves to illustrate the use of neutron polarimetry in the experimental studies of the magnetic chirality.     

d-d excitations in manganites probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

We report a study of electronic excitations in manganites exhibiting a range of ground states, using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Mn K edge. Excitations with temperature dependent changes correlated with the magnetism were observed as high as 10 eV. By calculating Wannier functions, and finite-q response functions, we associate this dependence with intersite d-d excitations. The calculated dynamical structure factor is found to be similar to the RIXS spectra.     

Single and double orbital excitations probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

The dispersion of the elusive elementary excitations of orbital ordered systems, orbitons, has escaped detection so far. The recent advances in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) techniques have made it, in principle, a powerful new probe of orbiton dynamics. We compute the detailed traces that orbitons leave in RIXS for an e{g} orbital ordered system, using the ultrashort core-hole lifetime expansion for RIXS. We observe that both single- and double-orbiton excitations are allowed, where the former, at lower energy, have sharper features. The rich energy- and momentum-dependent intensity variations that we observe make clear that RIXS is an ideal method to identify and map out orbiton dispersions.     

Ultrafast core-hole-induced dynamics in water probed by x-ray emission spectroscopy

The isotope effect and excitation-energy dependence have been measured in the oxygen K-edge x-ray emission spectrum (XES). The use of XES to monitor core decay processes provides information about molecular dynamics (MD) on an ultrafast time scale through the O1s lifetime of a few femtoseconds. Different nuclear masses give rise to differences in the dynamics and the observed isotope effect in XES is direct evidence of the importance of such processes. MD simulations show that even the excitation-energy dependence in the XES is mainly related to differences in core-excited-state dynamics.     

采用分子动力学方法研究氯化钠水溶液的微观结构

溶液的微观结构对溶液的宏观性质具有决定性影响,团簇的存在和溶液不均性的认知是该领域研究的重要进展之一,也是关注的热点.为了考察溶液的微观结构,本文采用分子动力学方法对浓度适中的氯化钠水溶液进行了模拟,获得了各原子(离子)间的径向分布函数和溶液的瞬态图像.通过对比分析Na~+-Cl~-和Cl~--Na~+的径向分布函数,并结合已有研究结果,表明该径向分布函数上第三峰也来源于离子对,发现氯化钠水溶液存在着第三种离子对;上述径向分布函数上的三个峰分别与直接接触离子对、部分间隔离子对和完全间隔离子对相对应,并给出了这三种离子对的瞬态图像.三个时刻下系统瞬态图像的分析结果表明,溶液中存在水分子连续分布的区域和由离子与水分子共同构成的离子团簇.各瞬态图像中水分子连续分布的最大区域的平均尺寸至少为1.43 nm,溶液中部分间隔离子对的比例最大,约为0.68.在同时考虑直接接触离子对和部分间隔离子对时,三个时刻中最大团簇尺度的平均值为1.44 nm,该值约为部分间隔离子对最概然尺寸的3倍;团簇尺寸随团簇中离子数的增加而增大,在团簇中离子数较大时,满足无规行走(自由连接链)模型的结果.这些说明氯化钠水溶...     

Elastic constants of lithium thallium tartrate measured by Brillouin scattering

All components of the elastic stiffness tensor of lithium thallium tartrate at room temperature have been measured by Brillouin scattering techniques using two different scattering configurations. Refractive indices have been determined independently by optical measurement. The results are compared with previous work on lithium thallium tartrate and lithium ammonium tartrate.     

Molecular dynamics simulation analysis of small-angle neutron scattering by a solution of stearic acid in benzene

Data of small-angle neutron scattering by a diluted solution of stearic acid in deuterated benzene have been analyzed using the results of molecular dynamics simulation. The molecular dynamics simulation approach has been used to calculate the time-averaged distribution of the neutron scattering length density at the interface between the acid molecule and the solvent. It has been shown that the organization of the solvent at the interface with the acid molecule leads to a modulation of the neutron scattering length density and makes a significant contribution to the scattering. This contribution should be taken into account when interpreting the experimental small-angle neutron scattering curves for both the considered system and its analogues.     

National school on neutron and x-ray scattering

Human habitation is dependent on the chemical and physical processes that shape Earth's surface environment and control the transport, cycling, and chemical form of elements. The challenges facing society concerning water, energy, climate change, and health require a molecular-scale understanding of these processes. It is not surprising therefore that synchrotron radiation (SR) techniques have become essential research tools for the molecular environmental science (MES) and low-temperature geochemistry (LTG) communities as they address critical needs for society.     

Persistence of covalent bonding in liquid silicon probed by inelastic x-ray scattering

Metallic liquid silicon at 1787 K is investigated using x-ray Compton scattering. An excellent agreement is found between the measurements and the corresponding Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show persistence of covalent bonding in liquid silicon and provide support for the occurrence of theoretically predicted liquid-liquid phase transition in supercooled liquid states. The population of covalent bond pairs in liquid silicon is estimated to be 17% via a maximally localized Wannier function analysis. Compton scattering is shown to be a sensitive probe of bonding effects in the liquid state.     

Counterion distribution around DNA probed by solution X-ray scattering

Counterion atmospheres condensed onto charged biopolymers strongly affect their physical properties and biological functions, but have been difficult to quantify experimentally. Here, monovalent and divalent counterion atmospheres around DNA double helices in solution are probed using small-angle x-ray scattering techniques. Modulation of the ion scattering factors by anomalous (resonant) x-ray scattering and by interchanging ion identities yields direct measurements of the scattering signal due to the spatial correlation of surrounding ions to the DNA. The quality of the data permit, for the first time, quantitative tests of extended counterion distributions calculated from atomic-scale models of biologically relevant molecules.     

氯化钾水溶液微观结构的分子动力学模拟研究

氯化钾水溶液不同于氯化钠的,其在低温下只能形成无水盐和冰.现有研究表明在氯化钠水溶液中不仅存在着水分子连续分布的区域与离子团簇,而且这二者的物质组成也与该溶液所形成晶体的分别对应.为了探寻其他溶液中是否存在此类对应关系,并考察溶液的微观结构,本文采用分子动力学方法对氯化钾水溶液进行了研究,表明了该溶液的一些性质.氯化钾水溶液中K⁺-K⁺和Cl^--Cl^-径向分布函数的特征具有一致性,峰的最大值所对应的位置都分别相同,明显不同于氯化钠水溶液的.系列时刻下瞬态图像内O到其最近离子距离中最大值的统计结果表明氯化钾水溶液中存在着一定大小的水分子连续分布的区域,其平均尺寸至少为2.26 nm;瞬态图像中K⁺与其最近邻Cl^-之间的距离主要分布在0.28 nm～0.38 nm之间,占比约为97.4%;溶液中存在着较大和较小两类离子团簇,较大团簇的平均尺寸为1.73nm,平均离子数是25.0,其内部的离子与周围离子之间具有与氯化钾晶体类似的结构;这些结果表明氯化钾水溶液中也...     

Small-angle neutron scattering studies of sodium butyl benzene sulfonate aggregates in aqueous solution

The aggregation behaviour of a hydrotrope, sodiumn-butyl benzene sulfonate (Na-NBBS), in aqueous solutions is investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Nearly ellipsoidal aggregates of Na-NBBS at concentrations well above its minimum hydrotrope concentration were detected by SANS. The hydrotrope seems to form self-assemblies with aggregation number of 36–40 with a substantial charge on the aggregate. This aggregation number is weakly affected by the hydrotrope concentration.     

Quasi-elastic neutron scattering study of AlCl3 aqueous solution

Quasi-elastic neutron scattering from protons in AlCl₃ aqueous solution has been measured by the use of a triple-axis spectrometer. Assuming the existence of two different kinds of water molecules, either in free state or in bound state, the whole shape of energy spectra of scattered neutrons was analyzed. About eight water molecules were found to be bound to an Al ion, being almost independent of the solute concentration. The diffusion constant, the rest time and the jump length of the remaining free water molecules were estimated based on a jump diffusion model.