Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

NIST Center for Neutron Research

SANS Equipment

Standard Sample Holders

Demountable Titanium Cells

The SANS demountable cells have fixed path lengths of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 4 mm. '0 mm' path length cells with no fixed spacing are available for non-fluid samples.

Quartz 'Banjo' Cells

Commercially available cells with fixed path lengths of 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm. Aluminum holders are available for use in sample changers.

Sample Spaces

A circular sample table, for mounting large equipment, is available at each of the SANS instruments. A linear translation stage is available at all instruments, but the mounting of the slide varies from instrument-to-instrument.

Multiple Position Sample Changers

6-Position (6CB) and 10-Position Heating/Cooling Block (10CB)

The 10CB uses circulating fluid to heat and cool the sample stage and can hold 10 samples.

9-Position Peltier-Driven Heating/Cooling Block (9CB)

The 9CB is a commercially available system using thermo-electric heaters to dive temperature changes. Three temperature zones are available, each with three sample positions.

9-Position Sample Changer (9P)

The 9 sample holder has no temperature control, but also has no window material in the beam path, offering lower background as compared to other holders.

7-Position Heating Block (7HB)

The 7HB uses heater cartridges to heat the 7 position sample block. No active cooling is available for the changer.

4/6-Position Rotating Cell Holder (4R, 6R)

The SANS rotational cells tumble the sample cells to prevent precipitate settling during the SANS measurement. 4 and 6 position mounts are available.

5-Position Vertically Driven Sample Changer

This vertically driven sample changer is most often used to hold up to 5 samples in one of our electromagnets.

Rheological and Shear Devices

RheoSANS Devices (Rheo)

Rheometers are available to simultaneously probe the shear rheology and micro-structure of samples using SANS.

1,2-Plane Shear Cell (12SC)

An on-end shear cell is available to probe the micro-structure in the 1,2 shearing plane.

Magnetic Field Control

Horizontal Field Electromagnets (HM1, HM2, Titan, LRM)

A series of horizontal field electromagnets are available for use. Magnet options include one with a low-stray field for polarized beam measurements, one with a magnetic field above 2T, and one with a hollowed out bore for a different magnetic field orientation.

9T Horizontal-Field Superconducting Magnet (SCM9T)

The 9T horizontal-field superconducting magnet has a temperature range from room temperature down to 2.0K, and can operate in transverse and longitudinal orientations.

Other Environment Control

Humidity Control (HC)

The SANS humidity chamber offers Rh from 5% to 95% and temperature from 5 °C to 95 °C.

HP-BioSANS pressure cell

A replacement for the previous generation SANS pressure cell, the PMI pressure cell is designed to study biological materials under pressure.

600K Furnace (FUR)

The SANS furnace can heat a sample up to 450 °C.

Under Development

μRheoSANS

A channel flow-cell capable of generating shear rates in excess of 10⁶.

Dielectric RheoSANS

A rheometer for simultaneously measuring dielectric, rheological, and microstructural (via SANS) properties of materials.

Vapor Flow Cell

Using mass flow controllers, the mixture ratio of two gases can be set to control the vapor ambient environment at the sample.

Contacts

Jeffery Krzywon

jeffery.krzywon@nist.gov

(301) 975-6650
Cedric Gagnon

cedric.gagnon@nist.gov

(301) 975-2020
Yamali Hernandez

yamali.hernandez@nist.gov

(301) 975-5295

Created November 7, 2017, Updated December 21, 2020