Experimental X-ray powder diffraction patterns and refined unit cell parameters for two barium hollandite-type compounds, BaxFe2xTi8−2xO16, with x=1.143 and 1.333, are reported here. Compared to the tetragonal parent structure, both compounds exhibit monoclinic distortions that increase with Ba content [Ba1.333Fe2.666Ti5.334O16: a=10.2328(8), b=2.9777(4), c=9.899(1) Å, β=91.04(1)°, V=301.58(5) Å3, Z=1, ρcalc=4.64 g/cc; Ba1.143Fe2.286Ti5.714O16: a=10.1066(6), b=2.9690(3), c=10.064(2) Å, β=90.077(6)°, V=301.98(4) Å3, Z=1, ρcalc=4.48 g/cc]. The X-ray powder patterns for both phases contain a number of broad, weak superlattice peaks attributed to ordering of the Ba2+ ions within the tunnels of the hollandite framework structure. According to the criteria developed by Cheary and Squadrito [Acta Crystallogr. B 45, 205 (1989)], the observed positions of the (0k1)/(1k0) superlattice peaks are consistent with the nominal x-values of both compounds, and the k values calculated from the corresponding d-spacings suggest that the Ba ordering within the tunnels is commensurate for x=1.333 and incommensurate for x=1.143. High-temperature X-ray diffraction data indicate that the x=1.333 compound undergoes a monoclinic→tetragonal phase transition between 310 and 360 °C.

The structure of pyrochlore type Y2Sn2O7 has been refined by Rietveld analysis from 1.4925 Å neutron powder diffraction data collected at 295 K and containing 46 independent reflections. The refinement figures of merit were Rp = 0.041, Rwp = 0.055, Rexp = 0.039, and RB = 0.006. The structure is a pyrochlore type, space group (S.G.) with a = 10.3723(1) Å, Dx = 6.21 g cm−3, and with the oxygen position parameter of 0.33694(5). The Sn atoms are in a nearly regular octahedral coordination whereas the Y has a distorted 8-fold coordination geometry. The anisotropic thermal parameters were also determined. The refined model has been used to calculate a set of d-I X-ray data for search/match analysis.

The Debye temperature of wurtzite aluminum nitride (AlN) was determined by the Rietveld refinement method based on the room-temperature X-ray powder diffraction data. The refined lattice parameters are a = 3.11139(1) Å, c = 4.978 43(3) Å; the refined positional parameter for N is z = 0.384 59(33) Å; and the refined temperature factors of Al and N were 0.442(12) Å2 and 0.559(33) Å2, respectively. Using this refined temperature factor, the Debye temperature was evaluated as 971 K through the Debye approximation.

The absorption of X-rays in a heterogeneous material depends on the linear absorption coefficients and volume fractions of the components, and on die geometrical peculiarities of their distribution. The latter is called the microabsorption effect, it can be separated into a bulk and a surface contribution. Within the framework of a well-defined stochastic structure model, the bulk contribution to the microabsorption is calculated for arbitrary random multiphase systems in terms of dependence on volume fractions and mean chord lengths of particles. Expressions are derived which are suitable for eliminating the experimental errors of scattering intensities caused by the bulk contribution of microabsorption.

If only one wavelengtii of radiation is used, the mean chord lengths of the phases of the sample must be determined by other experimental techniques. A method is proposed to overcome this difficulty by using two or more wavelengths of radiation; this correction procedure works without the knowledge of the particle sizes of the phases.

The crystal structure of the novel metal organic framework (MOF) Zn(C3H5NO2S)2 is described. This MOF can serve as a model for active sites in metalloproteins, on diverse activities such as structural or catalytic functions. Each half of the amino acid act as a bidentate ligand to one Zn and as a monodentate ligand to another Zn, while the disulphide bond presents an important structural function, stabilizing the crystal packing. The structure has been obtained ab initio from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (space group P212121), with a = 20.0906(7), b = 9.5842(3), c = 5.018 89(13), and V = 966.40(5) Å3, with Z = 4. The structure was determined using a direct space approach, by means of the Monte Carlo technique, followed by Rietveld refinement.

Crystal data are given for synthetic mixed bariumstrontium sulfates, and a powder pattern for (Ba0.50Sr0.50)SO4 is presented. Taken with previously published data for the end-member sulfates, we verify the nonlinear behavior of the unit-cell edges with composition, and present tables of interpolated data from which d-spacings for intermediate compositions can be calculated. The use of these data for analysis of complex natural samples by use of the 121 peak is described.

This paper describes new features implemented in the EXPO2014 software and aimed at assisting crystallographers in the use of quantum-chemistry calculations in combination with experimental powder diffraction data. The implemented tools are useful in particular in two important steps of the process of crystal structure determination from powder diffraction data: (1) preparing accurate structural model suitable for crystal structure determination by real-space methods; (2) validating structure determination. The combination of experimental/quantum-chemical methods in EXPO2014 is now managed easily thanks to the following capabilities: (a) converting crystallographic data in input files and reading molecular geometry from output files of a wide variety of computational chemistry packages (GAMESS-US, NWChem, Gaussian, CRYSTAL, ABINIT, QUANTUM ESPRESSO); (b) optimizing the geometry of a molecule using Open Babel's force fields; (c) a graphical interface to run semi-empirical quantum calculation by MOPAC (Molecular Orbital PACkage); (d) producing input file for dispersion-corrected density functional theory.

The sin2ψ method can be formulated as a single system of simultaneous linear equations. Using this it is easy to show that the sin2ψ method is not a least-squares method. It further helps to compare the accuracies of the stress tensors obtained by the sin2ψ method and the method of least squares. Quantitative comparisons have been made for different fictitious measurements. It is shown that the unnecessary loss in accuracy by using the sin2ψ method is quite significant and by no means negligible. The same course of action has been applied to compare the so-called Dölle-Hauk method with a least-squares method; the result is similar. Some other methods for X-ray stress determination, most often similar to the sin2ψ method, and their shortcomings are also discussed briefly, together with the corresponding, more effective and more versatile least-squares method.

Improvements of standard X-ray powder diffractograms of two Y-type hexagonal ferrites (Ba2Co2Fe12O22, Ba2Zn2Fe12O22) are reported.

The International Centre for Diffraction Data has an ongoing program to ensure the quality of data in the Powder Diffraction File (PDF) reflects current requirements of the powder diffraction community. Annual updates are made available, comprising of around 1800 new patterns and 200 replacement patterns, but current statistics indicate that only about 20% of users of the PDF take advantage of these updates. This paper reviews changes which have been inplemented in the editorial review process to continuously monitor and review pattern quality and gives examples of better data which have resulted from these changes.

The crystal structure of a morimotoite garnet, ideally Ca3(Ti4+Fe2+)Si3O12, from the Ice River alkaline complex, British Columbia, Canada was refined by the Rietveld method, space group $Ia\overline 3 d$ , and monochromatic synchrotron high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction (HRPXRD) data. Electron-microprobe analysis indicates a homogeneous sample with a formula {Ca2.91Mg0.05Mn2+ 0.03}Σ3[Ti1.09Fe3+ 0.46Fe2+ 0.37Mg0.08]Σ2(Si2.36Fe3+ 0.51Al0.14)Σ3O12. The HRPXRD data show a two-phase intergrowth. The reduced χ 2 and overall R(F 2) Rietveld refinement values are 1.572 and 0.0544, respectively. The weight percentage, unit-cell parameter (Å), distances (Å), and site occupancy factors (sofs) for phase-1 are as follows: 76.5(1)%, a = 12.156 98(1) Å, average <Ca–O> = 2.4383, Ti–O = 2.011(1), Si–O = 1.693(1) Å, Ca(sof) = 0.943(2), Ti(sof) = 0.966(2), and Si(sof) = 1.095(3). The corresponding values for phase-2 are 23.5(1)%, a = 12.160 67(2) Å, average <Ca–O> = 2.452, Ti–O = 1.988(3), Si–O = 1.704(3) Å, Ca(sof) = 1.063(7), Ti(sof) = 1.187(7), and Si(sof) = 1.220(8). The two phases cause strain that arises from structural mismatch and gives rise to low optical anisotropy. Because the two phases are structurally quite similar, a refinement using a single-phase model with anisotropic displacement parameters shows no unusual displacement ellipsoid for the O atom that requires a “split O-atom position”, as was done in previous studies.

The solid-state phase transformation from α- to β-copper phthalocyanine, using isothermal data obtained at T=250 °C and nonisothermal data obtained in the temperature range of 30 °C≤T≤330 °C with a constant heating rate of 1.67 °/min, was investigated by sequential and parametric full quantitative Rietveld analyses. Results obtained in this study show that the parametric Rietveld refinement technique is most suitable and applicable for kinetic studies of isothermal powder diffraction data. On the other hand, the sequential Rietveld refinement technique can give reliable results for the kinetic analysis of nonisothermal data. The main advantages of the parametric Rietveld refinement over the sequential Rietveld refinement are increased robustness against outliers, low weight fractions, and noisy data and an increase in computational speed.

Many N-acylhydrazone derivatives synthetized in LASSBio® cannot be prepared as single crystals of sufficient size and/or quality for structure determination to be carried out using single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. This article highlights the opportunity for determining crystal structures of this class of compounds directly from powder diffraction data. For this task, the crystal structure of LASSBio-294 was re-determined by means of conventional X-ray powder diffraction data and so, compared with the crystal structure already determined for single crystal data. LASSBio-294 is a cardioactive compound of the N-acylhydrazone class, which can become part of the therapeutic interventions designed to decrease exertional fatigue, and, consequently, improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic heart failure. Its final crystal structure was refined by means of the Rietveld method (Rietveld, 1967; 1969). This drug crystallizes in a monoclinic (P21/c) space group, with unit cell parameters a = 11.3413(3) Å, b = 12.3573(4) Å, c = 9.0158(3) Å, β = 89.821(2)°, V = 1263.55(7) Å3, Z = 4, Ź = 1 and ρcalc = 1.4419(1) g cm−3. The goodness-of-fit indicator and R-factors were, respectively: χ2 = 1.203, R Bragg  = 0.696%, R wp  = 5.59%, R exp  = 4.65% and R p  = 4.18%. The molecules in LASSBio-294 are H-bonded along the c-axis involving the atoms N(3)–H(8)···O(4).

Crystal structure of Li2SrSiO4 was reinvestigated by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. The title compound was trigonal with space group P3121, Z=3, unit-cell dimensions a=0.502 281 (4) nm and c=1.245 520(8) nm, and V=0.272 129(3) nm3. The initial structural model was derived by the direct methods and further refined by the Rietveld method. The maximum-entropy method-based pattern fitting (MPF) method was used to confirm the validity of the structural model, in which conventional structure bias caused by assuming intensity partitioning was minimized. The final reliability indices calculated from MPF were Rwp=8.04%, S=1.22, Rp=6.01%, RB=1.50%, and RF=0.66%. Atomic arrangements of the final structural model were in excellent agreement with the three-dimensional electron-density distributions determined by MPF.

A recently developed Rigaku parallel-beam X-ray diffraction system equipped with a parabolic graded-multilayer mirror in the incident beam and a parallel-slits analyzer in the diffracted beam was used for precision high-temperature diffraction studies. The lattice parameters a and c of α-Al2O3 at room temperature and up to 1473 K were determined with precision in the range of 0.6–7.3×10−5. The thermal expansion coefficients for a and c agreed with literature values to better than 3%. The system was used successfully also to determine the Debye characteristic temperature of Si and to study structural phase transition of LaCoO3 from rhombohedral at room temperature to cubic at 1700 K.

Various electro-optical systems have been reported which permit intensification of X-ray diffraction patterns and thus a decrease in exposure time for recording and display of the X-ray images. Prior to 1966, all such electro-optical systems incorporated a large format X-ray image intensifier of the same type as conventionally used for medical and industrial fluoroscopy. In the past four years, a number of different systems have been reported which are superior to those developed prior to 1966. These systems may be grouped into two main categories, the large format variety for Laue diffraction applications, and the small format variety for topographic applications.

The purpose of the present paper is to describe the particular characteristics of both the large format and small format systems and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with each type. Based on actual performance characteristics it will be shown that:

1. 1. A multiple stage image intensifier system coupled to an external fluorescent screen is the most sensitive and only truly instantaneous system; it can be used with very weak X-ray intensities, the resolution is currently limited by the external fluorescent screen to 42μ the system is extremely versatile in that it can be used both for large format recording of Laue patterns as well as for small format recording of X-ray topographe; the system has a very long lifetime since nothing is altered by X-radiation.

2. 2. An X-ray sensitive vidicon is the least sensitive; it must be used with extremely high intensity X-rays or long exposure times; the resolution is the highest at approximately 15μ and is limited by either bandwidth of the television system, the thickness of the X-ray sensitive target or the size of the electron beam at the target; due to the small size of the X-ray sensitive target the system can only be used for small format recording of X-ray topographs; the lifetime of the system is short since X-radiation causes degradation of the target.

The crystalline structure of the M2CuWO6 phases with M = Ba or Sr was obtained from X-ray powder diffraction at room temperature with CuKα radiation. The phases are isostructural with tetragonal unit cells, space group I4/m and Z = 2. The parameters for the Sr2CuWO6 phase are: Mr = 518.6, a = 5.42693(5) Å, c = 8.4087(1) Å, V = 247.65(1) Å3, Dx = 6.954 Mg/m3, μ = 77.75 mm−1, F(000) = 454, R = 0.0375 for 24 reflections; the parameters for the Ba2CuWO6 phase are: Mr = 618.1, a = 5.56392(8) Å, c = 8.6274(1) Å, V = 267.08(1) Å3, Dx = 7.683 Mg/m3, μ = 157.0 mm−1, F(000) = 526, R = 0.0506 for 27 reflections. Cell parameters were obtained from Rietveld refinement. The crystalline structure is based on the perovskite structure. It is laminar with ordered alternating WO6 deformed octahedra and CuO2 planar squares along the [110] direction, joined by corners and rotated perpendicular to the [001] direction. The samples are electrica insulators.

To test the effectiveness of phase identification software, a two-stage search/match round robin using powder X-ray diffraction data was organized, through the internet and world wide web. The first stage provided powder patterns and a vague sample origin, the second stage provided the chemistry and sample history. While the statistics are not robust, it shows that routine phase identification without chemistry can be performed, providing effective modern third generation search/match software is used; the most up to date databases are available; and well trained, experienced scientists perform the analysis.

The formation of the solid solutions in the (La1−xGdx)OCl series was studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XPD) at room temperature in the 2θ region between 6.5 and 120°. The Rietveld profile refinement analyses of the XPD patterns were carried out with the background, unit cell, atomic position, isotropic temperature, and Gaussian profile form parameters refined freely. All (La1−xGdx)OCl samples possessed the tetragonal PbFCl-type structure with P4/nmm as the space group (Z=2). The unit cell parameters a and c evolve smoothly through the series and no clustering of the Gd3+ ions was observed according to Vegard's law. The solid solubility exists throughout the whole series. The valence bond model was used to estimate the relative stabilities of the different (La1−xGdx)OCl solid solutions. The global instability index (GII) which equals to the deviation between the formal valence and the sum of the calculated valence bonds of each atom in the asymmetric unit was used as a tool in the assessment. In the (La1−xGdx)OCl series, GII increases both from the end and the beginning of the series toward the middle indicating diminishing stability. No breakdown of the La–Gd solid solution could be verified experimentally although the GII value for the (La0.4Gd0.6)OCl composition exceeds the limit of 0.2 which should mean the collapse of the structure. However, the diffraction reflections were found somewhat broader in the middle of the series indicating possible local distortion or disorder.

Crystals of green to bluish green rosasite from Tsumeb, Namibia are monoclinic, space group P21/a, with refined unit-cell parameters a = 12.873 (3), b = 9.354 (3), c = 3.156 (2) A, β = 110.36 (3)°, V = 356.3 (5) A3 and a:b:c = 1.3762:1:0.3374, with Z = 4 and Dx = 4.15 g./cm.3. Crystals are twinned by 180° rotation about a*. A fully indexed powder pattern is presented. Electron-microprobe analyses, average (wt. %): Cu 32.9, Zn 23.7; this suggests an analytical formula of (Cu1·18 Zn0·82) (CO3) (OH)2. The rosasite is optically biaxial negative, α = 1.673 (1), β = 1.796 (3), γ = 1.811 (3), 2Vx = 33 (5)° (calc. 36.4°), with X = c, Y = a* and Z = b.