In recent years, grazing incidence angle attachments have been shown to be very useful in the phase identification of thin polycrystalline films. These devices are sold commercially as attachments to standard powder diffractometers. The attachment normally consists of a long soller slit assembly and a flat crystal monochromator. The soller slit with or without the monochromator is mounted on the diffracted beam side. In this paper we discuss the effects of different configurations from collimator to monochromator on diffraction data. An understanding of these effects is essential in order to obtain more reliable information on phase transformations, crystallite size, microstrain, and residual stress studies.

An interactive computer program to display, process and analyze raw powder X-ray diffraction data is described. The program extensively employs graphic means of input and output with the help of “pop-up” windows and menus. In addition to those tasks that are common to most primary raw data analyzing programs, it performs many functions which are generally assigned to separate secondary programs. These functions include on-screen correction of d-spacing with reference to a standard compound, calculation of peak width and crystallite size, subtraction of patterns for differential X-ray diffraction and unrestricted overlay of patterns. The advantages of an integrated single program to process X-ray diffraction data in mineral research are illustrated and discussed.

X-ray powder diffraction analysis of samples obtained by thermal treatment of coprecipitated amorphous xCd(II) (1-x)Ni(II)2Fe(III)-hydroxides reveals that intermediate crystalline spinel species with lattice constants less than those for the nominal composition are formed before the designated cadmium-nickel ferrites, CdxNil-xFe2O4, come into existence.

The beautiful methods of crystal analysis that have been developed by Laue and the Braggs are applicable only to individual crystals of appreciable size, reasonably free from twinning and distortion, and sufficiently developed to allow the determination of the direction of their axes. For the majority of substances, especially the elementary ones, such crystals cannot be found in nature or in ordinary technical products, and their growth is difficult and time-consuming.

The method described below is a modification of the Bragg method, and is applicable to all crystalline substances. The quantity of material required is preferably 0.005 c.c., but one tenth of this amount is sufficient. Extreme purity of material is not required, and a large admixture of (uncombined) foreign material, twenty or even fifty per cent, is allowable provided it is amorphous or of known crystalline structure.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the three title compounds are reported. The crystals of all three compounds are monoclinic and the space group is P21 (No. 4) in each case. (1R, 2R)-(−)- norpseudoephedrine hydrochloride has a = 5.4422(8) Å, b = 8.071(1) Å, c = 11.839(1) Å and P= 101.803(9)°. For (1S,2R)-(+)-nqrephedrine hydrochloride a = 8.457(1) Å, b = 10.337(2) Å, c = 12.575(3) Å, and β = 107.46(1)° and for(±)-norephedrine hydrochloride a = 7.4406(6) Å, b = 9.4557(6) Å, c = 14.5799(8) Å and β= 103.446(7)°.

MeT2O6 (M = Ce, Th) are monoclinic, space group P21/n (No. 14). The cell dimensions for CeTe2O6 are a = 7.0190(7), b = 11.0423(6), c = 7.3319(8)Å and β = 108.00(8)° and for ThTe2O6 cell dimensions are a = 7.1934(4), b = 11.2310(6), c = 7.4650(2) Å and β= 108.04(6)°.

X-ray powder data and refined cell parameters for two titanium carbonitride solid solutions are presented. Some deviations from Vegard's law were observed.

Sodium Calcium Magnesium Silicate, Na2Ca4Mg2Si4O15, has been investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction. Data were obtained by a conventional diffractometer. Unit cell dimensions were determined by an indexing program. A monoclinic cell was found, a = 17.884(2) Å, b = 5.3573(8) Å, c = 7.1796(8) Å, β = 112.71 (1)°; V=634.56 A3.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the complexes of glucose monohydrate with sodium bromide (C6H12O6. ½NaBr·½H2O) and sodium iodide (C6H12O6·NaI·½H2O) are reported. The crystals of both complexes are trigonal with space group P31 (No. 144). The complex with sodium bromide has a = 16.4338 (6), c = 17.623 (1)Å, V = 4121.9 Å3, Z = 18 and Dx = 1.745 cm−3. The sodium iodide complex has a = 16.5249(6), c = 17.882(1) Å, V = 4228.8 Å3, Z = 18 and Dx = 1.867 g cm−3. The Smith-Snyder FN values for these data are F30 = 59.4(0.0097,52) for the sodium bromide complex and F30 = 82.7(0.0098,37) for the sodium iodide complex.

Crystal data for p-bromoiodobenzene (pBIB) at 293 K and a powder diffraction pattern are reported. The unit cell is monoclinic with S.G. = P21/a and Z = 2. The cell parameters are: a = 16.196(6) Å, b = 5.872 (3) Å, c = 4.233 (2) Å, β = 113.86 (2)°.

Two new compounds TlBeXO4 (X = P, As) have been synthesized by solid state reaction. Single crystals were obtained. These compounds are isotypic, space group Pna21, Z = 4. Unit-cell parameters were determined. Powder diffraction data for each phase are reported.

An indexed X-ray powder diffraction pattern is reported for Ca4A6O12SO4, prepared by solid state reaction. The compound crystallizes in the tetragonal system with a = 13.031(3) and c = 9.164(2) Å, V = 1556.1 (8) Å3, Z = 4.

The X-ray powder pattern of the Pb-free 110 K superconductor phase Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oz has many lines which belong to an incommensurate supercell. Using electron diffraction photographs as a guide, an indexing scheme for the powder pattern has been obtained. The unit cell has a geometrically orthorhombic subcell a = 5.411 (2), b = 5.420(2), c = 37.29(2) Å. Supercell reflections have indices that are derived from the subcell k, l indices by addition of ± q, where q = nδb + nεc: n = 1,2 …; ε = 0.211(2); ε = −0.78(1).

Indexed X-ray powder diffraction data derived from Rietveld crystal structure refinements are reported for synthetic potassium-richterite (KRC: K[CaNa]Mg5Si8O22(OH)2), nickel-potassium-richterite (NIKRC:K[CaNa] Ni5Si8O22(OH2) and cobalt-potassium-richterite (COKRC:K[CaNa]Co5Si8O22 (OH2). The following dimensions were obtained: KRC: a = 10.0547(8), b = 17.997(1), c = 5.2746(4)Å, β = 104.832(5)°; NIKRC: a = 10.0297(7), b = 17.942(1), c = 5.2576(4)Å, β = 104.982(5)°; COKRC: a = 10.1166(9), b = 18.066(1), c = 5.2752 (4)Å, β= 104.846(6)°.