Neutron Scattering for In-situ Characterization of Heterogeneous Catalysis

The chapter provides an introduction to the structural characterization of heterogeneous catalysts using neutron powder diffraction and small angle scattering. References are provided for those who want to extend the characterization using inelastic neutron scattering (INS). Neutron scattering techniques have made a large contribution in the traditional condense matter systems, which are the driving force in the development of instrumentation, theoretical and data analysis tools that have been developed in the latter half of the last century. It is a very mature technique and is being successfully used in solid-state chemistry research, following structural evolution of ever more complex systems. While the groundwork for catalysis research is laid, it has not yet been extensively used by a wider community. The various reactor and spallation-based sources are reaching out to the scientific community to extend their usage for industrial applications, with catalysis research fitting very nicely.