Quantitative small-angle scattering on mesoporous silica powders: from morphological features to specific surface estimation

A comprehensive method allowing experimentalists to perform a quantitative analysis of small-angle scattering patterns of powdered mesoporous materials of hexagonal symmetry is presented in this paper. Thanks to the rigorous processing of experimental data, and to a straightforward model for the small-angle scattering data simulation, the direct comparison of experimental and calculated patterns is made without any artificial background correction or ad hoc function. This allows the specific surface of mesopores to be estimated without resorting to other methods such as adsorption methods. This approach and its precision are discussed on the basis of the analysis of two real samples.