Exploring Structure and Chemistry of Soft Matter with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Resonant Scattering

Continued progress in the development and performance of soft matter-based technologies depends critically on the ability to characterize chemistry and morphology in these systems. Energy tunable X-rays provide the ability to probe chemistry and structure through both X-ray absorption spectroscopy and scattering techniques. Here, we show how spectroscopy and scattering in the soft and tender X-ray regimes coupled with first-principles calculations can be applied to various soft matter systems, for example, gas adsorption mechanisms in amine-functionalized metal organic frameworks, morphology of hydrated vs. dry perfluorinated sulfonic-acid ionomer membrane materials, and orientation in semiconducting polymers. These findings highlight the need for continued development in combining theory and experiment to understand soft matter especially as studies move toward advanced in situ, operando, and time-resolved characterization.