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About
X-ray diffraction is the definitive method for identifying minerals and other crystalline materials. X-rays are diffracted by the regular three-dimensional arrangements of atoms in crystals, and the resulting diffraction patterns are recorded by an imaging plate or other detector. A diffraction pattern is diagnostic for a particular material, and can be used as a “fingerprint” for its identification. The diffraction patterns are compared against those in a computerized database to find a match. Additionally, X-ray diffraction can be used to determine unit-cell parameters and other structural details, and for quantitative analyses of mixtures of minerals and other crystalline phases.
Features & Capabilities
The XRD lab in the department includes two Rigaku D/MAX Rapid microdiffractometers.
- An imaging plate detector allows users to collect diffraction data from powdered samples, aggregates, or single crystals