Calibration of the prototype Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL) selected for Mars 2020 has commenced with an empirical derivation of the X-ray optic transmission profile. Through a straightforward method of dividing a measured “blank” spectrum over one calculated assuming no optic influence, a rudimentary profile was formed. A simple boxcar-smoothing algorithm was implemented to approximate the complete profile that was incorporated into PIQUANT. Use of this form of smoothing differs from the more conventional approach of using a parameter-based function to complete the profile. Comparison of element-specific correction factors, taken from a measurement of NIST SRM 610, was used to assess the accuracy of the new profile. Improvement in the low- to mid-energy portion of the data was apparent though the high-energy region diverged from unity, and thus, requires further refinement.

A critical review of all the reported structures and powder diffraction patterns in the uranium telluride system has been undertaken. Our recommendations are:

1. Structures that are correct:

• Cubic – UTe: no experimental pattern exists. Retain calculated 15–865.

• Cubic – U3Te4: retain poor quality 12-610 but adopt the pattern calculated here.

• Cubic U2Te3: no experimental pattern exists. Adopt pattern calculated here.

• Orthorhombic UTe2: Adopt the new pattern of Boehme et al.

• Monoclinic αUTe3: Adopt the new pattern of Boehme et al.

• Orthorhombic βUTe3: Adopt the pattern calculated here.

• Orthorhombic UTe5: Adopt the new pattern of Boeheme et al.

2. Structures in need of refinement:

• Orthorhombic U2Te3: Adopt pattern calculated here over 34-807.

• Hexagonal U7Te12: Adopt pattern calculated here but retain 24-1368.

• Orthorhombic UTe1.78: Adopt pattern calculated here and retain our modified 21-1404 reported for U4Te7.

• Orthorhombic UTe2.5: Adopt pattern calculated here.

• Orthorhombic UTe3.4: Accept recent pattern of Boehme et al.

3. Phases for which no structures or reliable patterns exist:

• Orthorhombic U3Te4: no published pattern.

• Tetragonal U3Te5: three patterns 21-1407, 34-766 and 34-896 exist but all are of very poor quality.

4. Phases which probably do not exist:

• Tetragonal UTe1.77

• Tetragonal UTe2

• Cubic UTe2

• U3Te7 (21-1402)

• U3Te8 (21-1406)

Si–SiC composite (reaction bonded SiC) with a submicron SiC microstructure (starting SiC particle size: 0.22 μm) was examined by XRD analysis to determine the amount and phase composition of the secondary SiC formed by the reaction between silicon and carbon during the sintering process. It was found that the secondary SiC has grown onto the original hexagonal α-SiC grains as well as into the porosity of the green body. An increase of 3C–SiC was found within the microstructure after infiltration (from 2.6 wt. % before infiltration to 8.8 wt. % after infiltration) whereas the 4H-ploytype content was reduced. This behavior may be explained by the very small original SiC grains which acted as seeds for disoriented SiC growth and were assumed to force the nonepitaxically deposition of secondary SiC. Solid state and fast transportation processes caused the observed transformation of the SiC. Examinations of the silicon source (infiltrant) after the infiltration procedure showed that most of the carbon was converted to SiC with cubic modification (3C stacking sequence)

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and micro-X-ray diffraction (μXRD) were used to analyze the composition of pigments on a pastel drawing, Special No. 32, by Georgia O’Keeffe. XRF analyses showed that, among other pigments present in the drawing, the red, orange, and yellow pigments may possibly be identified with lead- and chromium-based pigments: lead chromates, red and yellow lead oxides, and/or lead carbonates, plus calcium-based pastel fillers, such as whiting or gypsum. XRD examination of a sample removed from a dark mottled area of coral red pastel confirmed that this pigment layer, which is associated with a darkened appearance and high Pb:Cr ratios, matches the red lead oxide, minium (2PbO⋅PbO2).

The superconductor related phases Ba3R3Cu6O14+x(or Ba2−zR1+zCu3O7+x, with z=0.5), where R = Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu, have been prepared and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, ac magnetic susceptibility measurement, resistivity measurement and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Attempts to make corresponding compounds with R = Gd, Dy, Y, Er, and Lu were not successful; they do not appear to form for rare-earth elements, R, with an ionic size smaller than Eu. The oxygen content of the successful materials was estimated by TGA. The Ba3R3Cu6Cu14+xcompounds which were sintered at 950°C and annealed in oxygen at 550°C were found to be nonsuperconducting above 10K. Previously reported results for the R=La compound have indicated that it was superconducting with a transition temperature of 15K The oxidation-reduction behavior of the Ba3R3Cu6O14+xmaterials is similar to that of the superconductor phases Ba2RCu3O6+x.

These present isostructural compounds are tetragonal with a space group of P4/mmm. The cell parameters range from a = 3.8612(4), c = 11.5624(14) Å, V = 172.38(4) Å3in the Eu compound to a = 3.8893(3), c = 11.6370(11) Å, and V = 176.03(3) Å3in the Pr compound. The standard X-ray diffraction patterns of these materials are given.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the tetraphosphinic Si(CH2PPh2)4 silane are reported. Its crystal and molecular structures were determined by simulated annealing and full-profile Rietveld refinement methods. Si(CH2PPh2)4 was found to have tetragonal symmetry with P-421c space group. The lattice parameters were determined to be a=17.211(2) Å, c=7.553(1) Å, V=2237.5(5) Å3. The crystal structure was found to contain isolated Si(CH2PPh2)4 molecules. In each Si(CH2PPh2)4 molecule, the central Si atom was fixed at the −4 symmetric position bearing four CH2PPh2 branches. This environment was confirmed by 31P CP/MAS NMR measurements. Thermo-diffractometric measurements in the 20–120 °C range were also used to estimate the linear and volumetric thermal expansion coefficients (∂ ln V/∂T=1.8×10−4 K−1), typical for very “soft” materials.

A series of Dy2Co17−xGax polycrystalline samples with x from 0 to 7 were prepared by arc melting. X-ray powder diffraction analysis indicated that these compounds have the hexagonal Th2Ni17 structure for x≤3 and the rhombohedral Th2Zn17 structure for 3.5≤x≤7. The lattice parameters a and c increase linearly with the gallium content until x=5.3. With further increasing the gallium content x up to 7, the lattice parameter c slightly decreases, whereas the lattice parameter a increases more quickly than that for 0≤x≤5.3. The unit-cell volume shows an approximately linear increase of 6.1 Å3/Ga for 0≤x≤3.0 and 10.1 Å3/Ga for 3.5≤x≤7.0, respectively. Rietveld refinement of the Dy2Co11.7Ga5.3 compound reveals that the Ga atoms occupy all the 6c, 9d, 18f, and 18h sites and preferentially occupy the 6c site. The Curie temperature and the saturation magnetization of the rhombohedral Dy2Co17−xGax compounds decrease almost linearly with increasing Ga content.

Crystal structure of the triclinic ternary phase Cr4(Al, Si)11 was investigated by full-profile Rietveld analysis of powder diffraction data. Four hundred eighty-four reflections were refined to a final RBragg value of 5.00%. Cr4(Al, Si)11 is isostructural to Mn4Al11. Silicon atoms enter into the structure by partially replacing aluminium on the Al(1) and Al(2) sites.

Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data was performed on SmBa4Cu3O8.5+δ, which was synthesized from precursors Sm2O3, BaO2, and CuO at 1000 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. SmBa4Cu3O8.5+δ has a cubic perovskite-related structure that is isostructural with YBa4Cu3O8.5+δ, and a doubled perovskite unit cell parameter of 8.177 90±0.000 04 Å.

The crystal structure of the tysonite-type superstructure of β-PrF3 has been studied by X-ray powder diffraction and high-energy electron diffraction from single crystals. The crystal data are: a = 7.0795(1) Å, c = 7.2380(2) Å, Z = 6, hexagonal system, space group (No. 165), ρcalc = 6.28 g cm−3. Atomic parameters and interatomic distances are presented from the final refinement with Rconv = 1.72%.

Bafertisite, Ba(Fe, Mn)2Ti(Si2O7)O(OH, Cl)2, has been reported as belonging to three space groups, i.e., Pmmn, P21/m, and Cm. The samples of bafertisite from the original locality Bayan Obo, Inner Mongolia, and from Jiangsu Province, China, were reinvestigated by X-ray methods. On the basis of single-crystal photographs, Pmmn could be ruled out and the relationship between a subcell in P21/m and the true cell in Cm deduced. The transformation matrix from the subcell to the true cell is 002/02¯0/101¯. Using the X-ray powder data, the refined true unit cell parameters in space group Cm are: a=10.612(3), b=13.637(7), c=12.464(2) Å, β=119.49(2)° for Bayan Obo sample, and a=10.633(6), b=13.67(1), c=12.465(5) Å, β=119.55(4)° for the Jiangsu sample. The 00l-reflections, which are rather prominent due to preferred orientation, can only be explained by our new unit cell.

The structure of 3,4-diaminopyridin-1-ium dihydrogen phosphate, [C5H3(NH)(NH2)2]+ (H2PO4)−, is solved from conventional X-ray powder diffraction data in direct space (monoclinic unit cell with a = 16.0725(9) Å, b = 7.7301(3) Å, c = 14.6189(9) Å, β = 96.869(1)°, V = 1803.2(2) Å3, Z = 8, and space group I2/c), and optimized by energy minimization in the solid state. In the crystal structure of the title compound, dihydrogenphosphate tetrahedra are linked by strong hydrogen O-H…O bonds forming chains running parallel to the b-axis. Antiparallelly π–π stacked DAP cations form molecular columns in the spaces between the chains. Although the dominant interaction of the molecules with their surroundings is electrostatic, their bonding are further enhanced by N-H…O and C-H…O hydrogen bonds.

Crystal structure of compositionally homogeneous, nanocrystalline ZrO2–CeO2 solutions was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction as a function of temperature for compositions between 50 and 65 mol % CeO2. ZrO2-50 and 60 mol % CeO2 solid solutions, which exhibit the t′-form of the tetragonal phase at room temperature, transform into the cubic phase in two steps: t′-to-t″ followed by t″-to-cubic. But the ZrO2-65 mol % CeO2, which exhibits the t″-form, transforms directly to the cubic phase. The results suggest that t′-to-t″ transition is of first order, but t″-to-cubic seems to be of second order.

Roman bronze coins from the 3rd and 4th century AD exhibit a wide variety of chemistries on their surfaces. This variation has been attributed to the variable methods used to produce the coins, a large number of mints producing bronze currency, and the periods of currency devaluation within the Roman Empire. Besides the base bronze metallurgy (Cu,Sn), Ag, Pb, and Zn were frequently used as coinage metals. Silver coatings were often applied to increase the apparent value of the coins. Over the centuries these surfaces corroded producing a range of patinas. Non-destructive X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence methods were used to evaluate ancient bronze coins. These methods are limited by their half depth of penetration into the coins, so the focus was on the chemistry of the patina's and how they related to the current appearance. Several 3rd-century bronze coins exhibited a very dark patina that was often composed of CuCl, Cu2O (cuprite) and several forms of copper hydroxyl chloride, resulting from surface deterioration caused by corrosion and is often referred to as bronze disease. Coins of the latter 3rd century and 4th century often exhibit patinas that are corrosion products of lead, silver, and tin, as lead and tin preferentially oxidize relative to the bronze alloys.

50-50 atomic percent lead telluride (Altaite), grown by the vapor transport method, was examined with a well aligned Rigaku horizontal beam diffractometer. PbTe is cubic (precise lattice parameter ao = 6.4591(5)Å) with an space group and a calculated density of 8.253 g/cm3. Fully indexed powder diffraction data are presented.

Hydrothermal formation reaction of tobermorite in the autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) process has been investigated by in situ X-ray diffraction. High-energy X-rays from a synchrotron radiation source in combination with a newly developed autoclave cell and a photon-counting pixel array detector were used. XRD measurements were conducted in a temperature range 100–190°C throughout 12 h of reaction time with a time interval of 4.25 min under a saturated steam pressure. To clarify the tobermorite formation mechanism in the AAC process, the effect of Al addition on the tobermorite formation reaction was studied. As intermediate phases, non-crystalline calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), hydroxylellestadite (HE), and katoite (KA) were clearly observed. Consequently, it was confirmed that there were two reaction pathways via C-S-H and KA in the tobermorite formation reaction of Al containing system. In addition, detailed information on the structural changes during the hydrothermal reaction was obtained.

The salt [NH3(CH2)2SS(CH2)2NH3][CuCl4] was obtained by crystallization after adding CuCl2 to cystamine (Cysta), solved in hydrochloric acid. The assumption of conserved disulfide connection (S–S) in the compound, made on the basis of infrared spectroscopy, is further supported by the crystal structure determined from X-ray powder diffraction data. The compound has an ionic structure. [CuCl4]2− and CystaH22+ ions package in the form of inorganic and organic layers in the cell, interconnected through the formation of hydrogen bonds via NH3-groups and chlorine atoms of the complex [CuCl4]2−. Inorganic layers are additionally stabilized in the parquet package of [CuCl4]2− ions which provides a Cu-distorted octahedral coordination. CystaH2[CuCl4] is stable in air up to 200 °C. Thermal decomposition occurs in several stages, accompanied by breaking of S–S bonds, releasing of the organic component and yielding CuO.

We report here the fabrication and characterization of ultra-long AlN whiskers by physical vapor transport method. The obtained whiskers are 1–3 µm in diameter and up to millimeters in length. The whiskers grow along the [0001] crystallographic direction and are well crystallized. They exhibit a strong ultraviolet emission at 345 nm, the shortest wavelength reported in AlN whiskers or nanowires. Our results indicate that these large scales of AlN whiskers are less contaminated by oxygen and other impurities compared with the previously reported ones, which may find wide applications in fabricating ultraviolet optoelectronic devices.

Sterilization of soils and sediments can release them from quarantine restrictions. Gamma irradiation is effective at sterilization but can damage materials and in so doing affect their suitability for environmental research. Duplicate samples of a wide range of mineral soils and sediments were subject to an acetic acid extraction before and after 50 kGy gamma irradiation. This amount of gamma irradiation did not affect the leachability of a range of analytes from the soils and sediments.

Quantitative phase analysis (QPA) using neutron powder diffraction more often than not involves non-ambient studies where no sample preparation is possible. The larger samples and penetration of neutrons versus X-rays makes neutron diffraction less susceptible to inhomogeneity and large grain sizes, but most well-characterized QPA standard samples do not have these characteristics. Sample #4 from the International Union of Crystallography Commission on Powder Diffraction QPA round robin was one such sample. Data were collected using the POWGEN time-of-flight (TOF) neutron powder diffractometer and analysed together with historical data from the C2 diffractometer at Chalk River. The presence of magnetic reflections from Fe3O4 (magnetite) in the sample was an additional consideration, and given the frequency at which iron-containing and other magnetic compounds are present during in-operando studies their possible impact on the accuracy of QPA is of interest. Additionally, scattering from thermal diffuse scattering in the high-Q region (<0.6 Å) accessible with TOF data could impact QPA results during least-squares because of the extreme peak overlaps present in this region. Refinement of POWGEN data was largely insensitive to the modification of longer d-spacing reflections by magnetic contributions, but the constant-wavelength data were adversely impacted if the magnetic structure was not included. A robust refinement weighting was found to be effective in reducing quantification errors using the constant-wavelength neutron data both where intensities from magnetic reflections were ignored and included. Results from the TOF data were very sensitive to inadequate modelling of the high-Q (low d-spacing) background using simple polynomials.