Small-angle energy-dispersive X-ray scattering on polymers using a laboratory-based diffractometer with a conventional source

The use of polychromatic Bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by commercial tubes for energy-dispersive small-angle scattering measurements has not been extensively discussed in the literature, mainly because of some difficulties associated with it. If a suitable experimental setup is chosen and concomitant phenomena are taken into account for correcting the observed X-ray patterns, energy-dispersive small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) may become an interesting alternative to conventional measurements based on monochromatic beams. Energy-dispersive SAXS experiments carried out on protein solutions, micelles, semicrystalline polymers and catalytic systems are discussed to illustrate the new opportunities offered by this technique as well as its limitations.