Powder X-Ray Diffraction
Distances between atoms or ions in a solid are typically in the region of Angstroms and so are comparable to the wavelengths of X-rays produced from metals by bombardment with high-energy electrons. Thus the diffraction of X-rays by solids will occur. Crystalline materials can therefore be identified by their characteristic X-ray diffraction fingerprint, thus the technique is a useful and readily available method for checking sample purity. If X-ray diffraction methods are combined with profile refinement techniques, the technique can be used to determine crystallographic structures, although, ideally, high-resolution data (e.g. neutron diffraction) is needed for this.
Services
Instrumentation
The laboratory currently supports two powder diffractometers: PANalytical X’Pert Pro and Siefert 3003TT. The former has a heated and evacuated sample stage allowing analysis of a sample at various temperatures for (for example) determination of temperature dependant phase changes. The latter has a sample changer and so can be used to analyse up to twelve samples in sequence.
Costs
An analysis of samples can be carried out by a technician as a service.
The instruments are available to use by individuals but only to those who have undertaken the University Ionising Radiation Safety course and been approved by the relevant RPS as a user.
There is a cost associated with using these instruments please use the contact details below for further details on pricing
Contact
Dr. Daniel J. Driscoll MRSC
Chemical Sciences Division,
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences,
University of Surrey,
Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK.
Tel. 01483 689907
