The structure of [Pd(NH3)4]Cr2O7 has been determined ab initio from conventional X-Ray powder diffraction data by the Patterson method. The cell is monoclinic (space group P21/c, Z = 4), with a = 7.771(3) Å, b=11.578(1) Å, c=11.852(4) Å, and β= 105.50(4)°. Refinements of 57 parameters by the Rietveld method, using 852 reflections lead to RB = 0.032, RP = 0.075, and Rwp = 0.092. The structure is built up from PdN4 square planes linked to Cr2O7 groups by hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen atoms could not be located.

The Powder Diffraction File of crystallographic data has been converted from printed data cards to a computer database. Extensive testing, review, and editing of the database were completed, the history and first stages of which are presented. Computer programs used to create and analyze the database are described.

The compound Ba4Eu3F17 was prepared by heating pre-dried BaF2 and EuF3 (4:3) at 800 °C for 8 h in static vacuum. The colorless polycrystalline product obtained was characterized by Rietveld refinement of the observed powder diffraction data with a starting model of Ba4Y3F17. The title compound Ba4Eu3F17 crystallizes in rhombohedral lattice with lattice parameters, a=11.1787(4) and c=20.5789(10) Å, Z=3 (Space group R 3, No. 148). The Ba4Eu3F17 structure can be described as an ordered anion-rich fluorite type structure with the formation of Eu6F37 clusters. There are two crystallographically distinct Ba (CN=10, 11) and one distinct Eu (CN=8). The typical Ba(1)–F, Ba(2)–F, and Eu–F bond lengths range from 2.56 to 2.83 Å, 2.54 to 3.25 Å, and 2.24 to 2.49 Å, respectively. The salient feature of the structure is that the EuF8 polyhedra share their corner to form a cubo-octahedron of fluoride ions. The cubic BaF8 polyhedra of BaF2 are modified to Ba(1)–F10 and Ba(2)–F11 polyhedra in this structure. The cubo-octahedron encloses extra fluorine F(8) inside it.

A novel synthesis method of fibrillar trimolybdates with the use of Ag2Mo3O10∙2H2O as a precursor has been used successfully to synthesize methylammonium trimolybdate, (CH3NH3)2Mo3O10∙H2O. The crystal structure of this compound was determined by X-ray powder diffraction method and refined by the Rietveld method. The compound is orthorhombic, space group Pnma (62), with a=11.241(3), b=7.585(1), and c=15.516(4) Å. The redetermined crystal structure of the precursor and the structure of the title compound are compared and discussed.

Mirabegron, (C21H24N4O2S), is a β3-adrenoceptor agonist approved in Japan, the USA, Canada and Europe, for the treatment of overactive bladder symptoms. There are no entries for this important active pharmaceutical ingredient in the Cambridge Structural Database or the Powder Diffraction File-4/Organics database. In this contribution, the powder diffraction pattern of Mirabegron, an unreported phase, are presented with a study by spectroscopy methods (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy [FT-IR] and RAMAN) and thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis [TGA]-differential scanning calorimetry [DSC]).

In the conventional X-ray reflectivity (XRR) analysis, the reflectivity is calculated based on the Parratt formalism, incorporating the effect of the interface roughness according to Nevot and Croce. However, the results of calculations of the XRR have shown strange outcomes, where interference effects increase at a rough surface because of a lack of consideration of diffuse scattering within the Parratt formalism. Therefore, we have developed a new improved formalism in which the effects of the surface and interface roughness are included correctly. In this study, for deriving a more accurate formalism of XRR, we tried to compare the measurements of surface roughness of the same sample by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and XRR. It is found that the AFM result could not be completely reproduced even with the improved XRR formalism. By careful study of the AFM results, we determined the need for an additional effective roughness term within the XRR simulation that depends on the angle of incidence of the beam.

Residual strain in electrodeposited Li films may affect safety and performance in Li metal battery anodes, so it is important to understand how to detect residual strain in electrodeposited Li and the conditions under which it arises. To explore this Li films, electrodeposited onto Cu metal substrates, were prepared under an applied pressure of either 10 or 1000 kPa and subsequently tested for the presence or absence of residual strain via sin2(ψ) analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of Li films required preparation and examination within an inert environment; hence, a Be-dome sample holder was employed during XRD characterization. Results show that the Li film grown under 1000 kPa displayed a detectable presence of in-plane compressive strain (−0.066%), whereas the Li film grown under 10 kPa displayed no detectable in-plane strain. The underlying Cu substrate revealed an in-plane residual strain near zero. Texture analysis via pole figure determination was also performed for both Li and Cu and revealed a mild fiber texture for Li metal and a strong bi-axial texture of the Cu substrate. Experimental details concerning sample preparation, alignment, and analysis of the particularly air-sensitive Li films have also been detailed. This work shows that Li metal exhibits residual strain when electrodeposited under compressive stress and that XRD can be used to quantify that strain.

A series of double-perovskite oxides, Sr2RNbO6 (R = Sm, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y, Tm, and Lu) were prepared and their crystal structure and powder diffraction reference patterns were determined using the Rietveld analysis technique. The crystal structure of each of the Sr2RNbO6 phase is reported in this paper. The R = Gd, Ho, and Lu samples were studied using synchrotron radiation, while R = Sm, Dy, Y, and Tm samples were studied using laboratory X-ray diffraction. Members of Sr2RNbO6 are monoclinic with a space group of P21/n and are isostructural with each other. Following the trend of “lanthanide contraction”, from R = Sm to Lu, the lattice parameters “a” of these compounds decreases from 5.84672(10) to 5.78100(3) Å, b from 5.93192(13) to 5.80977(3) Å, c from 8.3142(2) to 8.18957(5) Å, and V decreases from 288.355(11) to 275.057(2) Å3. In this double-perovskite series, the R3+ and Nb5+ ions are structurally ordered. The average Nb–O bond length is nearly constant, while the average R–O bond length decreases with the decreasing ionic radius of R3+. Powder diffraction patterns for these compounds have been submitted to the Powder Diffraction File (PDF).

The speciation of vanadium in the electrolyte of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) is important to determine the state of charge of the battery. To obtain a better understanding of the transport of the different vanadium species through the separator polymer electrolyte membranes, it is necessary to be able to determine concentration and species of the vanadium ions inside the nanoscopic water body of the membranes. The speciation of V in the electrolyte of VRFBs has been performed by others at the synchrotron by X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis (XANES). However, the concentrations are quite high and not necessarily justify the use of a large-scale facility. Here, we show that vanadium species in the electrolyte and inside the ionomeric membranes can be determined by laboratory XANES. We were able to determine V species in the 1.6 M electrolyte with a measurement time of 2.3 h and V species having a concentration of 9.8 g kg−1 inside the membranes (178 µm thick) with a measurement time of 5 h. Our results show that laboratory XANES is an appropriate tool to study these kind of samples.

The application of X-ray fluorescence-analysis methods to process control is discussed. Various methods of sample preparation are reviewed and compared. The use of the direct sampling technique is discussed and consideration is given to the effects of particle size on precision and accuracy of analytical results. The mechanism of these effects if presented, and some general principles concerning the relationship of fluorescent intensities and particle sizes of pure materials and mixtures are derived. Examples of particle-size effects in cement and mining applications are illustrated.

The problems associated with quantitative determinations and descriptions of preferred orientation are discussed and a method proposed to yield quantitative descriptions. A means of obtaining representative quantitative data using reflection techniques is described. The position of intensity minima in quantitative pole figure descriptions of preferred orientation is equal in importance to intensity maxima. Hence, rate-meter counting of diffracted intensity as the sample is continuously or semicontinuously rotated in a given spatial relationship is not satisfactory. Instead, sealer counting by fixed counts at a given spatial position yields more meaningful results; however, fixed-time sealer counting is used to reduce the time for data collection. The data are plotted in the form of normalized pole figures and analyzed.

To determine the relative volume of material associated with a given-texture component and an index of preferred orientation, the data are integrated. This is done by numerical integration or, alternatively, by graphical means. Integrating over the interval from ϕ = 0 to ϕ = π/2 and α = 0 to α = n/2 (where ϕ and α are spherical coordinates) will give the pole concentration per unit area for an ideally randomly oriented specimen for an octant of the sphere of projection. The relative volume of material associated with a given set of intensity maxima can be determined by integrating the intensity over the area of the maxima, summing these values, and dividing by the multiplicity to obtain the total intensity, It. The relative volume can be expressed as a ratio of It divided by random intensity. The texture strength can be expressed as the standard deviation from the random condition. Such information is vital to quantitative predictions of the anisotropy of properties

An investigation has been made of the relative Kβ intensities in different chemical states of the sulfur atom using the Kα lines, with appropriate corrections, to provide the intensity standards. Both inorganic and organic compounds were included in the study. The data for each compound appear to be reliable to about ± 0.5%, while the whole series of compounds shows a variation greater than 20% in the corrected Kβ/Kα ratios. Energies were also measured, particularly the Kα energies, and their shifts were studied relative to the Kβ, intensity shifts. The work was done with a plane, single-crystal, helium-path spectrometer with proportional counter and pulse-height analysis for detection. The results are indicative of the usefulness of the method both in clarifying an uncertain chemical state and in studying the electronic structure of the bonded atom.

The transition metal fluorides KMF3 (M = Mn, Co, and Ni) were synthesized through a simple solution route. The crystal structure, morphology and electrical transport property of the resulting products were investigated. The compound KMF3 crystallizes in a cubic perovskite structure with space group Pm-3m (No. 221). A crystal structure of KMF3 was refined by the Rietveld method based on the X-ray powder diffraction data. The unit-cell parameters are 4.189 46(4), 4.075 58(4), and 4.025 70(2) for KMnF3, KCoF3 and KNiF3, respectively. A metal–insulator transition was observed in temperature-dependent electrical transport characterization in the temperature range from 250 to 280 K for these three compounds, which is considered to be related to spin-exchange in this kind of material.

The interpretation and use of x-ray photon spectra of substances containing second row elements has utilized a number of theoretical models. These models may be divided into three basic categories, namely, the isolated atom model, various molecular models, and a number of solid state models, it is the purpose of this paper to examine critically the validity and limitations of molecular models for interpreting published x-ray photon spectra and spectra obtained by this group on chlorine and sulfur bearing substances.

Chlorine and sulfur bearing substances were chosen for at least three important reasons. First, a great deal of published experimental data already exists on the Kα, Kβ, and L2, 3 transitions of these substances. Second, motivated in part by the long standing controversy concerning possible 3d orbital participation in the bonding of second row elements, there are extensive quantum mechanical calculations for ions containing sulfur and chlorine via simple molecular orbital concepts. Thirdj the availability of accurate photoelectron spectroscopic data on these substances now permits a detailed quantitative comparison of x-ray photon transitions with quantum mechanical calculations.

Detailed evaluation along these lines indicates that for many substances the theoretically calculated energy values are frequently within a few electron volts (or less) of the experimentally observed energies. This study, therefore, tends to substantiate a viewpoint suggested by some recently; namely, that for many substances the starting point in interpreting most of the basic features of soft x-ray spectra should be based upon molecular bonding approaches.

An effective and practical computer algorithm has been developed for rapid and precise phase identification of polycrystalline materials by X-ray diffraction methods using the JCPDS database and/or user created standard files. The entire JCPDS file was reorganized for efficient search. Identifications are facilitated by a number of options: automatic correction of systematic errors using internal standard reflections, selectable window widths for file searching, elemental restrictions (chemical prescreening), handling preferred orientation, match without using intensities, match with 3 reflections, and others. A comprehensive algorithm for calculating a figure-of-merit (FOM) is used so that the “correct” phases can easily be identified with highest FOMs. This method has been tested extensively on a wide variety of analyses and is applicable to either a host or a minicomputer.

Usually, the classical Bragg-Brentano diffractometer arrangement is used for X-ray strain measurements. For measurements in different ψ-directions, the specimen is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise around the diffractometer axis using a separate driving system (ω-diffractometer).During the measurements, primary and reflected X-ray beams are placed in the same plane as the normal of the specimen and the normals of the measured ﹛h,k,l﹜ -planes. However, the Bragg- Brentano principle also can he applied to strain measurements in different ψ-directions with a number of advantages if the specimen is rotated around an axis lying parallel to the diffractometer plane (ψ- diffractometer) (1). The principle, construction and characteristics of the ψ-diffractometer are described and compared with those of the ω-diffractometer.

For determination of stress in a localized area, we combined a modified single exposure technique and the imaging plate, which is an x-ray digital area detector. With the, single exposure method, stress value is obtained from lattice strains in two directions with a single incident x-ray beam directed at an oblique angle. However, since diffraction data around a whole Debye-Scherrer ring was used in this study, a stress value can be accurately determined in comparison with the single exposure method. We observed the DS ring by use of the imaging plate with requiring only a short exposure time. Lattice strains in many directions on a DS ring were measured by an image analyzer connected to a computer; we verified the effectiveness of this method.

X-ray powder diffraction data, unit-cell parameters, and space group for S-2-(methylamino)-2-phenylcyclohexan-1-one hydrochloride, C13H18ClNO, are reported [a = 6.578 (1) Å, b = 13.250 (2) Å, c = 15.096 (2) Å, β = 91.619 (3)°, unit-cell volume V = 1315(1) Å3, Z = 4, and space group P21]. All measured lines were indexed and are consistent with the P21 space group. No detectable impurities were observed.

X -ray spectra arising from the valence bands of solids are useful for basic studies of the electronic structure of most materials and for practical measurements of unknowns to obtain information on local atomic structure and material properties as well as chemical composition. Understanding the characteristics of valence band spectra is prerequisite to their fullest use. One-electron and many-body aspects of the x-ray emission process, and the effects of experimental conditions, must be understood and are reviewed. Interpretation of spectral features and determination of electronic structure are complementary parts of one procedure which is based on the use of bonding theory. The various band and bond theories which are finding use for spectral interpretation are briefly reviewed. Calculation of the electronic structure of aluminum metal and quartz, and interpretation of their x-ray spectra, are examples which illustrate basic work with valence band spectra.

Several benzothiophene-based compounds, including 1-benzothiophene-2-carboxylic acid, exhibit a wide variety of pharmacological activities. They have been extensively used to treat various types of diseases with high therapeutic effectiveness. In this contribution, the crystal structure of a new polymorph of 1-benzothiophene-2-carboxylic acid (BTCA) was determined from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data with DASH, refined by the Rietveld method with TOPAS-Academic, and optimized using DFT-D calculations. The new form of 1-benzothiophene-2-carboxylic acid crystallizes in space group C2/c (No. 15) with a = 14.635(4), b = 5.8543(9), c = 19.347(3) Å, β = 103.95(1)°, V = 1608.8(6) Å3, and Z = 8. The structure is a complex 3D arrangement which can be described in terms of hydrogen-bonded dimers of BTCA molecules, joined by the acid–acid homosynthon, which interact through C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds to produce tapes further connected through head-to-tail π⋯π and edge-to-face C–H⋯π interactions. A comparison with a previously reported triclinic polymorph and with the related 1-benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid (BFCA) is also presented.