Application of the small‐angle scattering invariant to morphological behavior in ballistic materials

Abstract

AbstractThe small‐angle scattering invariant provides a useful tool for quantifying nanoscale morphological features in two‐phase materials, when scattering data of sufficient quality and angular range are available. In this work, an invariant analysis has been performed on small‐angle X‐ray scattering data for a series of epoxy‐amines previously found to have relatively high‐energy absorption (KE50) in ballistic impact tests. The improved performance was hypothesized to be a result of the formation of an ill‐defined two‐phase morphology, observed but not quantified using transmission electron microscopy. In this analysis, the ballistic performance and the scattering invariant were found to be strongly correlated, with a Pearson's linear correlation coefficient of 0.94. Facile analysis enabled by a custom software procedure suggests that this previously difficult analysis may be more broadly useful, even in high throughput applications.