Abstract
Low-resolution structure of CdS nanoparticles (NPs) grown in the presence of the third-generation rigid polyphenylenepyridyl dendrimers (PPPDs) is analyzed by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The combination of rigidity of the PPPDs and a high local concentration of chelating nitrogens strongly interacting with growing CdS NPs yields anisometric particles instead of conventional spherical ones. The scattering data from the free PPPDs and from the composite CdS/PPPD NPs are interpreted in terms of 3-D models revealing a peculiar morphology of the nanocomposite whereby the PPPDs enclose the CdS NPs like a "flattened ball-in-hands". The sizes of the CdS NPs found by SAXS are in good agreement with the TEM data. The presented approach to elucidate particle morphology should open the ways of detailed characterization of the modern composite materials from the SAXS data.