Improvement of performances of the small angle neutron scattering at NUR reactor

Abstract

Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique for the investigation of inhomogeneities in matter. The technique provides valuable information over a wide variety of fields including chemical aggregation, defects in materials, surfactants, alloy segregation, polymers, biological membranes, viruses and macromolecules. In order to investigate the structures of micellar aggregations of asphaltene molecules as well as fluorinated surfactants which are of importance for the Algerian oil industry, a SANS spectrometer has been installed on beam port No. 4 of the NUR research reactor. Because SANS experiments are very time consuming and require low neutron background, an important effort was made to improve experimental conditions. This paper presents the general characteristics of SANS facility and addresses the various improvements that have been made.