If XRD is not an option for the above reasons, some other techniques should be considered as alternatives. For example, the thickness of the lipid shells of CSHNs could be determined by the small-angle X-ray scattering analysis (SAXS) . In this analytical technique, the intensities of X-rays scattered by a sample are expressed as a function of the scattering angle (measurements are made at very small angles between 0.1 and 5 degrees). By analyzing the measured scattering profiles, various structural parameters can be determined, including nanoparticle size distribution, particle shape, structure (e.g., core-shell), etc. From the perspective of CSHN, the latter is particularly important because the core-shell structure ultimately forms the basis for these formulations. In the synthesis of lipid-polymer hybrid nanocarriers, the lipid layer forms a transition layer between the polymer particle and the liquid phase. This electron-rich layer is determined by SAXS analysis .