Time-dependent measurements of carbon nanoparticle inception at European XFEL

Nanoparticles containing carbon have extraordinary chemical and electronic properties. However, their formation from the gas phase is still poorly understood. The team led by Andrea Comandini from the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) in Orléans, France, is investigating the formation of carbonaceous nanoparticles at different temperatures and pressures at the MID experiment station of the European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg. To this end, it is utilising findings from small-angle scattering (SAXS). In this way, the team hopes to answer long-standing questions about the nature and formation of carbonaceous nanoparticles. These would benefit the nanomaterials industry as well as the development of clean combustion devices and their safety.