Free-film Small-Angle Neutron Scattering: a Novel Container-Free in Situ Sample Environment with Minimized H/D Exchange.

The development of a container-free sample environment which is particularly well suited for in situ reaction studies of liquid samples by small-angle neutron scattering and related techniques is reported. Hydrogen exchange with the humidity from air is reduced by an encapsulating setup in a bag filled with an inert gas such as He. The effectiveness of this measure is quantitatively accessed by infrared absorption and gravimetry, and further correlated with neutron scattering.