The crystal structure of Al7O3N5 was characterized by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction (CuKα1). The title compound is trigonal with a space group R3m (centrosymmetric). The hexagonal unit-cell dimensions (Z = 3) are a = 0.305 06(1) nm, c = 5.7216(1) nm, and V = 0.461 11(2) nm3. The initial structural model was derived by the charge-flipping method and refined by the Rietveld method. The final structural model showed the positional disordering of two of the four Al sites. The maximum-entropy method-based pattern fitting method was used to confirm the validity of the split-atom model, in which conventional structure bias caused by assuming intensity partitioning was minimized. The disordered crystal structure was successfully described by overlapping five types of domains with ordered atom arrangements. The distribution of atomic positions in one of the five types of domains can be achieved in the space group R3m. The atom arrangements in the four other domains are non-centrosymmetric with the space group R3m. Two of the four types of domains are related by a pseudo-symmetrical inversion, and the two remaining domains also have each other in the inversion pseudo-symmetry.

The structures of γ- and δ-K4P2O7 are solved by X-ray powder diffraction (conventional laboratory X-ray and synchrotron data, respectively), both in hexagonal symmetry (aγ = 5.9645(3) Å, cγ = 14.4972(8) Å, Vγ = 446.64(4) Å3 at 300 °C, Zγ = 2, space group P63/mmc; aδ = 10.211 45(7) Å, cδ = 42.6958(4) Å, Vδ = 3855.59(7) Å3 at room temperature, Zδ = 18, space group P61) with cell–supercell relations $a_\delta \approx a_\gamma \sqrt{3}$ and cδ ≈ 3 cγ. In the experimental conditions, the expected β/γ transition previously announced at 486 °C is not observed; the γ-form is stable at least up to the maximum temperature of our measurements (700 °C). In the γ-form, similar to the orthorhombic form of Na4P2O7, idealized, the pyrophosphate group is in eclipsed conformation, the K+ cations occupying three different coordinations. In the δδ-form, two of the three different [P2O7]4− groups are staggered and one eclipsed, the K+ cations occupying 12 independent sites.

The employment of the Debye function to model line profiles in the powder diffraction pattern from small crystallites is briefly reviewed. It is also demonstrated that for the case of very small spherical particles, it is necessary to average patterns from multiple constructions of the particle to have complete agreement with reciprocal space models. In doing so it is demonstrated that the technique of Debye function analysis is best suited for systems with only a few possible atomic arrangements.

Crystal structures of Li(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.945 and (Li0.977Eu0.023)(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.968 were investigated by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. Both title compounds were trigonal with space group R3c and Z = 6. The hexagonal unit-cell dimensions were a = 0.514 82 9(2) nm, c = 1.377 61 2(4) nm, and V = 0.316 21 6(2) nm3 for the former compound and a = 0.517 71 2(2) nm, c = 1.373 50 0(6) nm, and V = 0.318 81 2(3) nm3 for the latter. The initial structural models, being isostructural with LiTaO3, were refined by the Rietveld method. The maximum-entropy method-based pattern fitting (MPF) method was subsequently used to confirm the validity of the structural models, in which conventional structure bias caused by assuming intensity partitioning was minimized. Atomic arrangements of the final structural models were in excellent agreement with the three-dimensional electron-density distributions determined by MPF.

Clenbuterol hydrochloride is an active pharmaceutical ingredient usually prescribed for treatment of respiratory diseases due to its activity as a decongestant and bronchodilator. It has also been used as a performance-enhancing drug. In the PDF-4/Organics 2012 database there are six entries related to this compound: three for its hydrochloride phase calculated using single-crystal data, two for a MeOH and a DMSO solvate of two Cu-clenbuterol complexes, and one experimental unindexed pattern. In this contribution the powder diffraction pattern and the crystal structure, determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques of clenbuterol hemihydrate, C12H18Cl2N2O·0.5H2O, an unreported phase, are presented.

A computer program, Dysnomia, for the maximum-entropy method (MEM) has been tested for the evaluation and advancement of MEM-based pattern fitting (MPF). Dysnomia is a successor to PRIMA, which was the only program integrated with RIETAN-FP for MPF. Two types of MEM algorithms, i.e., 0th-order single-pixel approximation and a variant of the Cambridge algorithm, were implemented in Dysnomia in combination with a linear combination of the “generalized F constraints” and arbitrary weighting factors for them. Dysnomia excels PRIMA in computation speed, memory efficiency, and scalability owing to parallel processing and automatic switching of discrete Fourier transform and fast Fourier transform depending on sizes of grids and observed reflections. These features of Dysnomia were evaluated for MPF analyses from X-ray powder diffraction data of three different types of compounds: taurine, Cu2CO3(OH)2 (malachite), and Sr9In(PO4)7. Reliability indices in MPF analyses proved to have been improved by using multiple F constraints and weighting factors based on lattice-plane spacings, d, in comparison with those obtained with PRIMA.

A laboratory-scale X-ray diffractometer for obtaining high X-ray intensity data was developed. The apparatus, equipped with 600 W CuKα radiation with a Ni filter, incorporates technology that dramatically improves the quality of X-ray diffraction. The system comprises of a low-noise one-dimensional silicon strip detector, a variable slit, and a goniometer with a radius as small as 150 mm. A variable knife edge was used as a countermeasure for unwanted scattering, particularly in the low angle range. With this system, cement may be analyzed within 5 min. NIST 2686 standard reference material was analyzed using the newly developed diffractometer, and the quantitative analysis results for the major phases are in agreement with the certified values of the reference material.

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.

The (Ag,Pd)22Se6 phase was synthesized from individual elements by silica glass tube technique and structurally characterized from powder X-ray diffraction data. The (Ag,Pd)22Se6 phase crystallizes in Fm$\overline3$m symmetry, unit-cell parameters: a = 12.3169(2) Å, V = 1862.55(5) Å3, Z = 4, and Dc = 10.01 g/cm3. The crystal structure of the (Ag,Pd)22Se6 phase represents a stuffed 3a.3a.3a superstructure of the Pd structure (fcc), where only 4 from 108 available octahedral holes are occupied. Its crystal structure is related to the Cr23C6 structure type.

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.

A sample of cellulose II, prepared by deacetylation of cellulose acetate, has permitted more precise determination of the unit-cell parameters by the Rietveld method. Cellulose II is monoclinic, with space group P21c-axis unique (or P1121) (No. 4) and refined unit-cell parameters a = 8.076(13), b = 9.144(10), c = 10.386(20) Å, γ = 117.00(8)°, and V = 683.5(18) Å3. A density functional geometry optimization using these fixed unit-cell parameters has resulted in an improved structural model for cellulose II. A powder pattern calculated from this new model has been submitted to the ICDD for inclusion in future releases of the Powder Diffraction File.

A NIST SRM certified to address the issue of crystallite size measurement through a line profile analysis has been under development for several years. In order to prepare the feedstock for the SRM, nano-crystalline zinc oxide was produced from thermal decomposition of zinc oxalate. The thermal processing parameters were chosen to yield particles in two size ranges, one with a distribution centered at approximately 15 nm and another centered at 60 nm. Certification data were collected on a NIST-built diffractometer equipped with a Johansson incident beam monochromator and scintillation detector. Data were analyzed using whole powder pattern modeling to determine microstructural data. The analysis shows domains to be in the form of discs of a fairly small aspect ratio. While both materials exhibit the effects of stacking faults through broadening of specific hkl reflections, their presence in the 60 nm is more difficult to discern. Images of the crystallites obtained with transmission electron microscopy are consistent with the results from the X-ray diffraction analyses.