The Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) on the Structure of Nanocrystals is an NSF, funded team of researchers interested in understanding the arrangement of atoms in nanometer sized objects: nanoparticles . The collaboration comprises groups from Michigan State University, Arizona State University, Central Michigan University and Penn State University

Research objective: To develop and apply techniques for determining the atomic scale structure of nanostructured materials.

Rationale: A knowledge of atomic scale structure is a prerequisite to understanding material properties in general. Atomic structures of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials are not accessible by conventional methods used on crystalline materials. This is an important unsolved problem in nanoscience.

Methods: We are developing "nanocrystallography": the use of the atomic pair distribution function (PDF) and related methods coupled with advanced computational modeling to determine the atomic scale structure of nanomaterials. This is applied to novel nanostructured materials. See a brief overview (pdf) here

For further information please contact Professor Simon Billinge .