Atomic-scale structure of nanocrystals by the atomic pair distribution function technique

Abstract

The approach of the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) technique to determine the atomic-scale structure of nanocrystalline materials is introduced and illustrated with results of studies on V2O5 nanotubes and clusters of Cs atoms intercalated inside the pores of the zeolite ITQ-4. We find that V2O5 nanotubes are built of double layers of V-O5 and V-O4 units. Inside the channels in ITQ-4 Cs atoms are found to assemble in short-range ordered zigzag chains.