The application of X-ray scattering to the non-destructive determination of physical properties of nanostructured materials is illustrated through use of three example systems. High resolution parallel beam powder diffraction is used to measure particle size and melting temperature in Sn nanoparticles while full reciprocal space mapping allows the mosaic distribution of Co in epitaxial Ag films to be determined, The in-plane correlation length associated with steps on Ag surfaces and the period of artificial gratings are measured by grazing incidence scattering.