A SAXS image obtained as part of the ANR ANISOFILM program (https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-20-CE43-0015) is among the 10 works selected for exhibition at the MATERIAUX 2026 conference.
Credits: Nathan Piaget, Ioanna Chazapi, Lorenzo Metilli, Samuel Mandin, Laurent J. Michot, Nicolas Hengl, Frédéric Pignon, Erwan Paineau
This scattering pattern (SAXS/WAXS) reveals the exceptional anisotropic organization of a nanocomposite consisting of Beidellite clay nanoparticles (≈ 210 × 1 nm), dispersed in a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate matrix, structured using an innovative ultrafiltration process combined with ultraviolet-induced crosslinking.
Analysis of the SAXS/WAXS measurements in the vicinity of the membrane, performed using a microbeam (1.8 × 2.7 µm²) on the ESRF’s ID13 beamline, revealed homogeneous densification and orientation of the nanoparticles in the form of regularly spaced layers oriented parallel to the membrane surface.