An Excel command macro has been developed which directly transforms X-ray powder diffraction data to a spreadsheet format. This spreadsheet format offers a number of data reduction and plotting capabilities not available in a diffractometer's software. The conventional approach uses computer programs to transform the data outside a spreadsheet. The development of these programs is not a simple process, and requires the user to be familiar with computer programming and the software of a diffractometer. Furthermore, these programs are diffractometer-specific. A different approach is followed in which an Excel macro transforms the data within a spreadsheet. This macro, with minor modifications, can be applied generally to treat data from any diffractometer. A copy of the macro and an example illustrating its working principle are included.

The solid solutions Y2−xDyxO3 (x=0.20,0.50,0.74,1.40,1.80) were obtained by ceramic technology. The crystal structures were refined from X-ray and neutron diffraction data measurements in the cubic space group Ia3 by the Rietveld method. The unit cell dimensions varied from 10.6056(4) Å to 10.6624(1) Å. The structure characteristics were analyzed in relation to the concentration of the magnetic ion. The selected cation–anion–cation bonds, important for the understanding of the superexchange interaction and the magnetic properties, are given. In all samples the Dy3+ ions are randomly distributed in the cation sites 8(b) and 24(d). Comparing the random cation distribution in Y2−xDyxO3 and the preferential distribution in Y2−xGdxO3, it has been concluded that the type of distribution depends on the difference of the lattice constants between RE2O3 and Y2O3. Hence, in this cubic Mn2O3-type of structure, a preferential distribution can be expected in Y2−xNdxO3, Y2−xSmxO3, Y2−xEuxO3, Y2−xLuxO3, and a random distribution in Y2−xHoxO3.

X-ray diffraction quantitative phase analysis is a technique widely used in materials science and engineering research. The method proposed by Zevin [L. S. Zevin, J. Appl. Cryst. 10, 147 (1977)] has proven very useful in practice because standards or pure crystalline phases are not needed, but, Zevin only described the case of n samples, each of which contain different concentrations of the same n phases. An extension of this method, in which the reference samples could contain less phases than the analyzed sample is proposed in this paper. The absence of phases in reference samples is not arbitrary but depends on certain conditions. The conditions required to solve the equations are discussed in detail using the concepts of the set theory, and the results of confirmation experiments agree well with the theory.

The effect of crystallite-size distribution on the shape of X-ray diffraction peaks from powder samples is investigated focusing the attention on the region within the top half of intensity. It is shown that, unlike profile tails, this central region can markedly depart from the Lorentzian shape for crystallite-size distributions that are quite acceptable from the physical point of view. Goal of this paper is to correlate the well-known m parameter in the Pearson VII function or the η weight in the pseudo-Voigt function with a number of different distributions of crystallite dimensions ranging from the δ function of all-equal-sized crystals to a very broad distribution. The suitably normalized curvature at the peak is a possible new parameter; its correlation with m and η is shown. Also, a procedure is suggested to derive the volume-average crystal thickness 〈Tw〉 from the FWHM and the knowledge of either m or η.

Precise X-ray powder diffraction patterns for the tetragonal form of Li3B5O8(OH)2 were obtained using a Huber camera; photographs were taken at 22 °C with CuKα1 radiation (λ =1.5406 Å) and with Si as internal standard (a = 5.4308 Å). Refinements of indexed reflections yielded the following parameters: a = 6.8455(4)Å, c = 14.551(1)Å, space group P41212, Z = 4, Dx = 2.31, and Dm = 2.28 g/cm3. The Smith–Snyder figure of merit of F30 = 97(O.OO7,45) compares to that of F30 = 2.6(0.206,57) reported for the existing pattern in the Powder Diffraction File (34-1070).

X-ray powder diffraction data for chioroquine sulphate monohydrate [7—chloro—4—(4—diethylamino—1—methylbutylamino)—quinoline sulphate monohydrate, C18H26C1N3· H2SO4 · H2O] have been determined. Crystals of chioroquine sulphate monohydrate are orthorhombic, space group P212121 with a=9.0134(7), b=11.7417(6), c= 19.850(1) Å, Z=4, and Dx= 1.378 g cm−3. The F30 index is 121 (0.0062, 40).

An X-ray powder diffraction quantitative analysis has been developed to determine the relative amounts of the principal crystalline phases (α-Li2SiO3, α-Li2Si2O5 and the α-cristobalite form of SiO2) contained in selected Li2O–SiO2 glass-ceramics. The analysis was extended to estimate the amorphous-to-crystalline content ratio of individual samples. The method utilized is an external-standard intensity ratio technique that employs cristobalite, a component common to each sample, for a standard.

X-ray powder diffraction of Nitrofurantoin C8H6N4O5 reveals that the compound crystallizes in a monoclinic unit cell with the powder data unit cell parameters of a = 7.852(2), b= 6.497(1), c = 18.927(5) Å, β=93.15(2)°, V=964.1(2) Å3. The unit cell dimensions determined by single crystal agree very well with those of powder diffraction analysis. A comparison with the Powder Diffraction File (PDF) 34-1603 indicates that the present data provide a more precise match to the unit cell, include additional weak reflections, along with the indexing of the powder pattern.

Crystal data and results of structure refinements for ScPO4 are reported. The material is tetragonal, I41/amd, with a = 6.5787(2) Å, c = 5.7963(2) Å, Vd = 250.86(2) Å3, Z = 4, Dx = 3.704 Mg/m3. Intensity data were obtained from a Stoe transmission type diffractometer equipped with a position sensitive detector. CuKα1 radiation, λ = 1.5405981 Å was employed. Silicon, SRM 640b (a = 5.43094 Å) was used as an internal standard. The structure was refined by the Rietveld method by aid of three different programs.

Surface roughness of planar samples causes an additional attenuation of X-ray diffraction intensity measured in Bragg–Brentano geometry. The decrease of intensity becomes stronger with decreasing scattering angle. This is part of the microabsorption effect. Two quantitative expressions describing the microabsorption effect are incorporated into the DBWS 9006-PC Rietveid program [D. B. Wiles and R. A. Young, J. Appl. Crystallogr. 15, 149–151 (1981)]. The procedure is applied to scattering data obtained from YBa2Cu3O7-powder samples with different degree of surface roughness but approximately identical bulk structure. The procedure is proved to work well. However, the values obtained for the parameters of the temperature factors and the microabsorption effect are correlated, and careful discussion is necessary to interpret the results.

This paper further confirms that the direct measurement of diffraction angles at different temperatures by using the X-ray diffractometer is better than measurement of the lattice parameters for the rapid and accurate determination of the linear thermal expansion of silicon. High purity silicon has the linear expansion coefficient, α= (2.45±0.05) × 10−6/°C at room temperature. This value does not change for doped P-type and N-type silicon.

Plastic crystals, such as neopentylglycol, 2, 2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, that exhibit polymorphic behavior are emerging materials for thermal energy storage. The energy is stored isothermally in the γ phase, FCC, during solid-state phase transformations. This γ phase of NPG has been determined as an orientational disordered phase. The low temperature α phase structure, which is of great significance in the evaluation of lattice expansions and other parameters, was first determined in 1961. However, the reported unit cell dimensions and the intensities of the reflections led to erroneous indexing of the powder patterns in binary systems. The α phase structure is redetermined here as monoclinic, M= 104.15 amu, space group P21/n (an alternate setting of , space group No. 14), a = 5.979(1)Å, b= 10.876(2)Å, c=10.099(2)Å, β=99.78(1)°, V=647.2(2)Å3 at 20°(± 1)C, Dx= 1.069 g cm s−3 for Z=4. In this paper the redetermined structure of the α phase of NPG is presented in projections of the atomic positions, in tables, and in calculated powder pattern and these results are compared with those reported by others. The powder patterns obtained from the Bragg–Brentano diffractometer are compared with our calculated pattern from the single crystal data. The structural parameters of the high temperature phase of NPG as determined by a Guinier diffraction system are also reported.

A task group of the JCPDS—International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) was established for the purpose of investigating a methodology which would be applicable for statistical process control monitoring of X-ray powder diffractometers. A procedure for collecting X-ray diffraction data for statistical process control purposes and the incorporation of these data into control charts are presented. The results of this task group show that, through the use of statistical process control methods, noncontrol situations for diffractometers were detected, the causes of these problems were identified, and these problems were corrected and noted on control charts.

The decomposition reactions of two zirconium hydroxide nitrates Zr(OH)2(NO3)2·(4+x)H2O and α-Zr(OH)2 (NO3)2·(1+x)H2O (0≤x≤1) have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis and high-temperature X-ray powder diffractometry (HTXRD), in nitrogen gas environment. The decomposition reaction sequences were clearly displayed by the HTXRD technique. They are different for the two precursors, except the formation of amorphous zirconia at low temperature (200 °C) and crystalline zirconia at about 390 °C. Three modifications of Zr(OH)2(NO3)2·H2O (α,β,γ) were identified. Their X-ray powder diffraction patterns were indexed by the successive dichotomy method. The unit cells are triclinic and present some parametric and volumetric similarities from each other and also with that of their precursor. Moreover, the thermal decomposition sequences of Zr(OH)2(NO3)2·(4+x)H2O and α-Zr(OH)2(NO3)2·(1+x)H2O include the formation of anhydrous oxide nitrate ZrO(NO3)2 and anhydrous hydroxide nitrate Zr(OH)2(NO3)2, respectively.

A FORTRAN 77 program to perform full matrix least-squares refinement of unit cell parameters from powder diffraction patterns showing incommensurate supercell reflections is described. The code is completely general, being applicable to any crystal system, and can refine all three unit cell edges and angles and, in the presence of an incommensurate supercell, can refine the components of the modulation vector along all three reciprocal axes. Estimated standard deviations on all the refined parameters are calculated analytically.

A new and improved sample holder suited for small samples has been developed for X-ray diffractometry. This holder is made from a commercial semiconductor grade of silicon wafer grown and cut along the [100]-axis, i.e., Si(100). This new holder not only meets almost all basic requirements of an ideal holder, namely, flat and damage free surface, low background noise, few interference peaks, and desired shape with different cavity sizes, but also provides additional advantages for measuring crystallite sizes and mass absorption coefficients. Furthermore, this holder is easy to clean and has good appearance because of its polished surface. A U.S. patent has been issued and a commercialization effort is underway.

Observed and calculated X-ray powder diffraction data are given for the mineral beryllonite, NaBePO4, from Stoneham, Maine, U.S.A. Diffractometer data taken with CoKα1 radiation and Guinier film data registered with CuKα1 radiation are compared. Two independent procedures were employed to index the patterns.

The lattice parameters of triammonium citrate, (NH4)3C6H5O7, were determined by X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction methods. The crystal structure is orthorhombic with a = 6.187 ± 0.001 Å, b = 14.803 ± 0.004 Å, and c = 10.826 ± 0.003 Å, and from the systematic absences, the space group is Pcc2 ().

A direct method is described for determining depth profiles (z-profiles) of diffraction data from experimentally determined τ-profiles, where z is the depth beneath the sample surface and τ is the 1/e penetration depth of the X-ray beam. With certain assumptions, the relation between these two profile functions can be expressed in the form of a Laplace transform. The criteria for fitting experimental τ-data to functions which can be utilized by the method are described. The method was applied to two τ-data sets taken from the literature: (1) of residual strain in an A1 thin film and (2) of residual stress in a surface ground A12O3/5vol% TiC composite. For each data set, it was found that the z-profiles obtained were of two types: oscillatory and nonoscillatory. The nonoscillatory profiles appeared to be qualitatively consistent for a given data set. The oscillatory profiles were considered to be not physically realistic. For the data sets considered, the nonoscillatory z-profiles were found to lie consistently above the corresponding τ-profiles, and to approach the τ-profiles at large z, as expected from the relation between the two.

The multicomponent Rietveld profile refinement technique for powder neutron diffraction patterns has been applied to arrive at a quantitative phase analysis of crystalline Ce2Fe17 and α-Fe impurity in a powder specimen of Ce2Fe17.