Total Scattering Methods are nowadays widely used for the characterization of defective and nanosized materials. They commonly rely on highly accurate neutron and synchrotron diffraction data collected at dedicated beamlines. Here, we compare the results obtained on conventional laboratory equipment and synchrotron radiation when adopting the Debye Function Analysis method on a simple nanocrystalline material (a synthetic iron oxide with average particle size near to 10 nm). Such comparison, which includes the cubic lattice parameter, the sample stoichiometry and the microstructural (size-distribution) analyses, highlights the limitations, but also some strengthening points, of dealing with conventional powder diffraction data collections on nanocrystalline materials.

This study was performed to suggest convenient equations for quantifying Fe and K within the illite structure using relative intensities for the illite basal reflections. The 002/005 and 003/005 ratios were available for Fe and K quantifications, and equations could be derived as the following: CFe=(ln I002/005−1.807 ln I003/005+1.29)/(1.241 ln I003/005−3.843), CK=−(ln I002/005+0.121 ln I003/005−2.592)/(1.308 ln I003/005+1.984). The equations may obtain Fe and K contents within ca. ±0.05 atoms per half-unit cell, if incident radiation loss is minimized and basal reflection modification caused by expandable layers is eliminated. © 2004 International Centre for Diffraction Data.

The crystal structure of 1-amino-4-methoxycarbonyl-3-methyl-8-oxopyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine monohydrate, C9H10N4O3·H2O, from the family of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines which demonstrate an activity against the influenzavirus A and coxsackievirus B3, has been determined from laboratory (Guinier-Johannson photograph) powder diffraction data using a grid search procedure. Parameters of the monoclinic cell (P21/a, No. 14, Z=4) at 295 K are a=11.599(7) Å, b=11.550(7) Å, c=8.575(5) Å, β=110.76(4)°. Rietveld refinement (full-pattern-decomposition) gave χ2=4.8(4.5), Rp=0.048(0.043), Rwp=0.065(0.062). The observed microstrain-induced anisotropy of diffraction line broadening was approximated by a quartic form in h,k,l. The obtained results allowed to distinguish between several isomers which were indistinguishable by others methods.

Advanced courses in Applied Crystallography for Nanosciences are not often delivered in Academia and, consequently, require the organization of events specifically tailored to PhD students, postdocs, and young researchers at the very beginning of their scientific careers.

Ba2NaNb5,O15 and eighteen additional compositions in the NaNbO3-BaNb2O6 system from 60 to 85 mole % BaNb2O6 have been prepared and studied by X-ray powder diffraction. A calculated pattern has been used to aid in indexing the powder pattern of stoichiometric Ba2NaNb5O15(BNN-S). The lattice parameters of BNN-S have been determined from repeated measurements of 2 higher order reflections and are a=b=17.5994(8)Å and c=7.9771(9)Å. A comparison with the Powder Diffraction File (PDF) 34-210 indicates that the present data provide a more precise match to the unit cell, include additional weak reflections and cover a greater 2θ range. There is a tungsten bronzetype solid solution range from 60 to 75 mole % BaNb2O6.

X-ray powder diffraction data for 3,3-dichloro-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-piperidinone, C11H10Cl2N2O3, are reported [a = 11.088(4) Å, b = 11.594(5) Å, c = 12.689(3) Å, α = 118.456(1)°, β = 100.320(3)°, γ = 107.763(3)°, V = 1259.27 Å3, Z = 4 and space group P-1 ]. All measured lines were indexed and are consistent with the P-1 space group. No detectable impurities were observed.

The 2,4-diaryl 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivative (1), described in the title (Chemical formula: C23H22N2O3), was synthesized via the “one-pot” three-component imino Diels–Alder reaction catalyzed by Cu(OTf)2. Molecular characterization was performed by 1H and 13C NMR, Fourier transform-infrared, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The X-ray powder diffraction pattern for the title compound was analyzed and found to be crystallized in an orthorhombic system with space group P212121 (No. 19) and refined unit-cell parameters a = 8.6415(8) Å, b = 12.679(2) Å, c = 17.601(2) Å, and V = 1928.4(2) Å3.

A discrepancy was discovered between an experimental X-ray diffraction pattern of sodium acetate trihydrate collected with the Gandolfi camera and a calculated pattern based on a single crystal study of the same compound. The experimental d spacings matched those of the calculated pattern with the exception of the strongest reflection d = 3.002 Å (h k l = 40 − 2) which was missing in the experimental pattern. Another experimental Gandolfi pattern obtained from a powdered sample of sodium acetate trihydrate gave excellent agreement with the calculated d spacings and intensities.

The results of our investigation into this discrepancy show that the angle θ, crystal alignment, camera diameter, and the crystal system can affect diffraction in the Gandolfi camera. It is shown that all reciprocal lattice points with θ angles less then 10.08° would diffract in the film plane of the 114.6 mm Gandolfi camera and points with θ angles less then 20.49° would diffract in the film plane for the 57.3 mm camera regardless of the crystal system or alignment. However, reciprocal lattice points aligned along the spindle axis of the 114.6 mm Gandolfi camera having reciprocal lattice points with Z ≥ 0.35 reciprocal lattice units (r.l.u.) and X and Y ≤ Z-0.35 r.l.u. will not diffract into the recording plane of the Gandolfi camera. The reciprocal lattice points aligned along the spindle axis of the 57.3 mm Gandolfi camera with Z ≥ 0.70 r.l.u. and X and Y ≤ Z-0.70 r.l.u. will not diffract into the recording plane of the camera.

An organic nonlinear optical material, 3-methyl-4-methoxy-4′-nitrostilbene (C16H15NO3), has been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. Experimental values of 2θ corrected for systematic errors, relative peak intensities, values of d, and the Miller indices of 77 observed reflections with 2θ up to 82° are reported. The powder diffraction data have been evaluated, and the figures-of-merit are reported. The unit cell parameters least-squares refined from 30 non-overlapping peaks of the orthorhombic compound with a Aba2 space group are a=15.7882(3) Å, b=13.4892(4) Å, c=13.3940(2) Å, V=2852.5(4) Å3, Z=8, Dx=1.254 g/cm3. The powder diffraction results are in a agreement with those obtained from single-crystal structure data.

A simple device was developed for a moisture-proof X-ray diffraction analysis. The device consists of a simple plastic ring where one side was glued on with a thin film to let in the X-ray beam and the other side was covered with grease to seal onto a base plate. This device was later optimized by selecting a good adhesive to glue on the film, a very effective film to minimize the moisture intake, and an optimum ring height to maximize the X-ray intensity. Finally, this simple device was successfully verified that it can protect the anhydrous CaCl2 (hydrophilite) up to 4 days in ambient air.

The identification of crystallographic phases in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been limited by the lack of a simple way to obtain electron diffraction data of an unknown while observing the microstructure of the specimen. With the development of charge coupled device (CCD)-based detectors, backscattered electron Kikuchi patterns, alternately referred to as electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) patterns, can be easily collected. Previously, EBSD has been limited to crystallographic orientation studies due to the poor pattern quality collected with video rate detector systems. With CCD detectors, a typical EBSD can now be acquired from a micron or submicron sized crystal using an exposure time of 1–10 s with an accelerating voltage of 10–40 kV and a beam current as low as 0.1 nA. Crystallographic phase analysis using EBSD is unique in that the properly equipped SEM permits high magnification images, EBSDs, and elemental information to be collected from bulk specimens. EBSD in the SEM has numerous advantages over other electron beam-based crystallographic techniques. The large angular view (∼70°) provided by EBSD and the ease of specimen preparation are distinct advantages of the technique. No sample preparation beyond what is commonly used for SEM specimens is required for EBSD.

Cu2Th4(MoO4)9 is cubic: a=14.4856(1) Å, space group I4¯3d, Z=4. Its crystal structure was recently determined using a single crystal. The results of chemical study allow one to reject the existence of Li4Th7(MO4)16 and La(MO4)(ReO4) compounds with M=Mo, W, reported as isostructural with Cu2Th4(MoO4)9. Precise X-ray powder patterns are established for Cu2Th4(MoO4)9 and isotypic compounds Li2Th4(MoO4)9, Li2Th4(WO4)9, and La4(MoO4)3(ReO4)6.

The crystal structure of Ag2GeO3 was determined from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data (Cu Kα1) using the Rietveld method. The title compound is orthorhombic with space group P212121, Z=4, unit-cell dimensions a=0.463 09(1) nm, b=0.713 93(2) nm, and c=1.040 79(3) nm, and V=0.344 10(2) nm3 . The final reliability indices were Rwp=5.58%, S=1.26, Rp=4.20%, RB=0.67% , and RF=0.35% . The GeO4 tetrahedra form infinite chains of [Ge2O6] along the a axis, with two tetrahedra per identity period of 0.463 nm. Individual chains are connected by Ag atoms, one-half of which are almost linearly coordinated by two O atoms and the rest are coordinated by three O atoms. The relatively short Ag-Ag distances of 0.299 to 0.339 nm indicate Ag(I)-Ag(I) interaction. This compound is isostructural with Ag2SiO3.

This paper presents the powder X-ray diffraction data of BaFI recorded using a Guinier diffractometer and Mo Kα1 radiation. BaFI stabilizes at standard temperature of 25 °C and standard-atmospheric pressure (STP) in the tetragonal structure (space group P4/nmm; No. 129) with lattice parameters a=4.660(1) Å and c=7.960(5) Å. Our observed pattern is different from the existing observed powder diffraction data reported in the PDF files 34-716 (Beck, 1976) and 31-139 (), but matches almost perfectly with the pattern calculated by us from the reported single crystal data ( and with the calculated data available in PDF file 70-0481. Further, our data provide a number of new Bragg peaks extending beyond the range of d values available in the existing PDF files.

Polycrystalline compounds in the Zn1-xNdxCr2Se4 system were prepared by solid state reaction using selenides (ZnSe, Cr2Se3) and pure elements (Nd, Se) as starting materials. The structural properties were determined by X-ray diffraction and the chemical composition confirmed by SEM-EDX. The observed symmetry is cubic, space group Fd3m, while the lattice parameter varies from 10.4955(7)Å to 10.4976(7)Å, and is larger than for the pure matrix. The solubility limit for the current synthesis route lies below x = 0.1. The magnetic moments, effective and saturation, increase with increasing amount of Nd ions. The Neel temperature TN and ΘCW drop, respectively, to 17.4K and 81K for x = 0.1, independently indicating that neodymium is incorporated into the spinel lattice and promotes antiferromagnetic coupling between the Cr3+ ions.