New X-ray powder data for CaWO4 (synthetic scheelite) are presented and compared with the current PDF patterns and with a calculated pattern.

Laboratory X-ray powder diffraction was used to investigate mineralogical compositions of green pigments labeled by suppliers as “green earths.” It was found that glauconite and celadonite—minerals historically considered as the main ingredient of this pigment—were present only in Bohemian green earth, green earth from Thuringen (glauconite), and Bavarian green earth (celadonite). Other investigated pigments consist of mineralogical-component minerals with added synthetic organic colorants. The obtained results may be useful for scientists, restorers, and artists in proper choices of the pigments they use in their works.

The crystal structure of trandolapril has been solved by parallel tempering using the FOX software package with laboratory powder diffraction data submitted to and published in the Powder Diffraction File. Rietveld refinement was performed with the software package GSAS yielding orthorhombic lattice parameters of a = 19.7685(4), b = 15.0697(4), and c = 7.6704(2) Å (C24H34N2O5, Z = 4, space group P212121). The Rietveld refinement results were compared with density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed with CRYSTAL14. While the structures are similar, discrepancies are observed in the configuration of the octahydroindole ring between the Rietveld and DFT structures, suggesting the refined and calculated molecules are diastereomers.

Indexed X-ray powder diffraction data are reported for the semiconducting compound Ba2Cl2Cu3O4. The structure was refined by the Rietveid technique on the basis of the space group I4/mmm. Refined unit cell dimensions are a = 5.5156(1) Å, c = 13.8221(3) Å, V = 420.49 Å3Dx = 4.74 g/cm3, F30 = 129(0.0075,30), M20 = 121, Rp = 6.58, Rwp = 8.66, and RB = 4.49.

Trigonal CdSb2O6, prepared as a very crystalline powder by solid state reaction of CdO and Sb2O3, is isostructural with PbSb2O6 Space Group (S.G.) P31m (162), with a = 5.2399(2), c = 4.8045(4) Å, Z = 1 and Dc = 6.57 Mg.m−3. For the refinement of structural parameters from X-ray powder diffraction data two different methods have been employed and compared, both leading to very similar results. The refinements converged to RI = 0.025 using 35 intensities in the incremental optimization technique and to RF = 0.038, RW = 0.033 from 161 reflections in the least-squares refinement.

The crystal structure of the natural zeolite garronite from Goble, Oregon has been refined using high resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. Garronite has the same tetrahedral aluminosilicate framework as gismondine [GIS], and earlier structural models indicated a strong tetragonal pseudosymmetry. Proposed models in the literature were based on the I4¯m2 and I41/a space groups, on account of symmetry lowering from the topological I41/amd space due to partial cation/water molecule order in the zeolitic cavities. Test structure analysis has been performed in all possible space subgroups including monoclinic space groups, and the refinement has been successfully carried out in space group I2/a (C2/c). The resulting monoclinic structure model is to be preferred over the tetragonal ones on the basis of: (1) lower agreement indices of the refinement; (2) a chemically sound framework geometry; and (3) a more satisfactory interpretation of the Ca atoms coordination in the extraframework cages.

We know a lot about normal values of bond distances, bond angles, torsion angles, and other molecular parameters. This knowledge can be incorporated into the structure solution process and into Rietveld refinement through the use of restraints and rigid bodies. An important measure of the quality of the refined model is the chemical reasonableness of molecular geometry. Refinement of the structures of calcium tartrate tetrahydrate and guaifenesin is used to illustrate the importance of chemical reasonableness in determining the quality of a Rietveld refinement.

In the investigation of MgO–Y2O3–B2O3 system, six three-phase regions, five binary compounds, and one ternary compound MgYB5O10 were confirmed in the subsolidus phase relations. Single-phase powder sample of MgYB5O10 was successfully prepared through solution synthesis method. By using the Rietveld method from the step-scanning X-ray powder diffraction data, the crystal structure of MgYB5O10 was determined. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system with the space group P121/c1 and lattice parameters a = 8.5113(2) Å, b = 7.5892(2) Å, c = 12.2460(3) Å, β = 130.200(1)°, and Z = 4. The infrared spectrum of MgYB5O10 at room temperature demonstrates the existence of BO3 and BO4 groups. The UV–visible spectrum shows a wide absorption band within the range of 190–400 nm, while the absorption in the visible region is negligible. According to the electronic structure derived by first-principles calculations, MgYB5O10 is an insulator with a wide indirect energy band gap of about 5.95 eV. Layered structural characteristics, existence of one-dimensional YnO8n+2 chains, and the large band gap should be the immanent reason why MgYB5O10-based materials have exhibited outstanding performances in the luminescence field.

The crystal structure of atorvastatin calcium trihydrate (ACT) has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. ACT crystallizes in space group P1 (#1) with a = 5.44731(4), b = 9.88858(16), c = 29.5925(10) Å, α = 95.859(3), β = 94.211(1), γ = 105.2790(1)°, V = 1521.277(10) Å3, and Z = 1. The most prominent feature of the crystal structure is a hydrophilic layer parallel to the ab-plane. The atorvastatin anions bond to each side of the hydrophilic layer, forming a triple layer. The calcium coordination is distorted octahedral, with the CaO6 coordination sphere being comprised of four carboxylate oxygens, one coordinated water molecule, and a hydroxyl group from one but not the second atorvastatin anion. Several O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds form a two-dimensional network parallel to the ab-plane. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™.

The use of high-speed detectors made X-ray diffraction (XRD) become an important tool for process control in mining and metal industries. Decreasing ore qualities and increasing prices for raw materials require a better control of processed ore and a more efficient use of energy. Traditionally quality control of iron ore sinter has relied on time-consuming wet chemistry. The mineralogical composition that defines the physical properties such as hardness or reducibility is not monitored. XRD analysis in combination with Rietveld quantification and statistical data evaluation using partial least-squares regression (PLSR) has been successfully established to determine the mineralogical composition and the Fe2+ content of iron ore sinter within an analysis time of less than 10 min per sample. A total of 35 iron ore sinter samples were measured and evaluated using PLSR and the Rietveld method. The results were compared with wet chemistry data. PLSR results show accuracy for the Fe2+ content of ±0.14%. No pure phases, crystal structures, or complex modeling of peak shapes are required. The Rietveld method was used to quantify the total phase composition of the samples. The Fe2+ content could be calculated from all phases present. Both methods take the full XRD pattern into account and can be simultaneously applied on the same measurement. PLSR was found to be the more robust method if only Fe2+ results are required. The Rietveld method helps predict other parameters such as the compressional strength of the sinter by monitoring all existing phases (e.g., larnite, C2S, or silico-ferrite of calcium and aluminum phases).

The crystal structure of Sb(C2O4)OH has been solved by charge flipping in combination with difference Fourier techniques using laboratory X-ray powder data exhibiting significant preferred orientation and refined by the Rietveld method. The compound crystallizes in Pnma with a=5.827 13(3), b=11.294 48 (10), c=6.313 77(3) Å, V=415.537(5) Å3, and Z=4. The crystal structure contains pentagonal pyramidal Sb3+ cations, which are bridged by hydroxyl groups to form zigzag chains along the a axis. Each oxalate anion chelates to two Sb in approximately the ab plane, linking the chains into a three-dimensional framework. The H of the hydroxyl group is probably disordered in order to form stronger more-linear hydrogen bonds. The highest energy occupied molecular orbitals are the Sb3+ lone pairs. The structure is chemically reasonable compared to other antimony oxalates and to Bi(C2O4)OH.

The procedure of whole-powder-pattern fitting without reference to a structural model has been applied to the determination of direction-dependent crystallite size and strain. The fitting function used is defined as the sum of (1) background intensity and (2) contributions from individual reflections given as the convolution of the observed instrumental function with the true data function in analytical form. Crystallite size and strain parameters are adjustable, together with unit-cell parameters and the integrated intensities of all reflections, during the whole-powder-pattern fitting. The procedure requires neither structural parameters nor intensity correction for preferred orientation in calculating profile intensity. The two models are incorporated for line broadening, one for isotropic size and strain effects and the other for the anisotropic size effect of cylindrical shape. The procedure has been tested for these two models using the observed data of 4 mole % Y2O3-doped tetragonal ZrO2 and hydroxyapatite, Ca5(PO4)3OH, respectively, and been shown to be effective for determining crystallite size and strain from the powder pattern with a relatively high peak density.

The structure of the Ba5R8Zn4O21 series (R=lanthanides) was investigated using X-ray Rietveld refinements. The compounds were successfully prepared for R=Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb. Ba5R8Zn4O21 crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4/m; for R=Yb to Eu, a ranges from 13.635 02(5) to 13.960 62(9) Å, c from 5.658 46(3) to 5.784 83(5) Å, and V from 1051.987(8) to 1127.459(14) Å3. The Zn2+ ions adopt a fivefold distorted square pyramidal coordination. The seven-coordinate R3+ reside in monocapped trigonal prisms. These prisms share edges, and form layers stacked along the c axis. There are two types of BaO polyhedra: bicapped square prisms (BaO10), and irregular BaO10 polyhedra. For larger R, Ba5R8Zn4O21 was not stable, and tetragonal BaR2ZnO5(La, Nd) and orthorhombic BaR2ZnO5(Sm) phases were observed instead.

Twenty seven new rare earth (Ln) compounds CuLn2 Ge2O8, CuLn2Ge4O12 and CuLn2Si4O12 have been synthesized. The powder diagrams were indexed and solid solutions of silicates and germanates were investigated. Structural variations with temperature, lanthanide contraction and Ge/Si substitution are described. Indications for second order phase transitions were found.

Crystallographic structures of two new orthophosphates Ca0.50SbFe(PO4)3 and CaSb0.50Fe1.50(PO4)3 obtained by conventional solid state reaction techniques at 900 °C, were determined at room temperature from X-ray powder diffraction using Rietveld analysis. The two compounds belong to the Nasicon structural family. The space group is R3 for Ca0.50SbFe(PO4)3 and R3c for CaSb0.50Fe1.50(PO4)3. Hexagonal cell parameters for Ca0.50SbFe(PO4)3 and CaSb0.50Fe1.50(PO4)3 are: a=8.257(1) Å, c=22.276(2) Å, and a=8.514(1) Å, c=21.871(2) Å, respectively. Ca2+ and vacancies in {[Ca0.50]3a[◻0.50]3b}M1SbFe(PO4)3 are ordered within the two positions, 3a and 3b, of M1 sites. Structure refinements show also a quasi-ordered distribution of Sb5+ and Fe3+ ions within the Nasicon framework. Thus, in {[Ca0.50]3a[◻0.50]3b}M1SbFe(PO4)3, each Ca(3a)O6 octahedron shares two faces with two Fe3+O6 octahedra and each vacancy (◻(3b)O6) site is located between two Sb5+O6 octahedra. In [Ca]M1Sb0.50Fe1.50(PO4)3 compound (R3c space group), all M1 sites are occupied by Ca2+ and the Sb5+ and Fe3+ ions are randomly distributed within the Nasicon framework.

We have demonstrated that structures down to 150 nm can be visualized in X-ray projection images using nanofocus X-ray sources. Due to their unlimited depth of focus, they do not possess a limit on the specimen size. This is essential for three-dimensional tomographic imaging of samples with a diameter larger than a few microns. Further simulation studies have shown that optimization of the detector response curve and switching from a reflective X-ray target to a transmission target should allow us to reach sub-100-nm resolutions.

X-ray diffraction and scattering on a single multipurpose X-ray platform have been used to probe the structure, composition, and thermal behavior of TiO2 nanoparticles ranging in size from 1 to 10 nm. Ambient and non-ambient Bragg diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), as well as total scattering and pair-distribution function (PDF) analysis are combined to obtain a comprehensive picture of the samples. At these ultrasmall particle-size dimensions, SAXS and PDF prove powerful in distinguishing the salient features of the materials, in particular the size distribution of the primary particles (SAXS) and the identification of the TiO2 polymorphs (PDF). Structural features determined by X-ray scattering techniques are corroborated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The elemental make-up of the materials has been measured using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.

Precision X-ray powder-diffraction data of pure solid C70 is reported. C70 prepared by slow evaporation of C70-in-toluene solution adopts an hcp structure (space group P63/mmc) with lattice parameters a=10.5934(10)Å and c=17.262(2)Å.

Chitin is a natural polysaccharide found in many diverse phyla and almost always occurs in association with protein. In this study the chitin polymer is characterized by X-ray diffraction from its naturally occurring unprocessed state through various steps used in the purification procedure. In addition, the effect of different treatments on the final product is examined. These studies show that native chitin has a characteristic diffraction pattern that is not altered by the mild treatments used to isolate relatively pure chitin. Chitins prepared from different sources exhibit the same characteristic diffraction pattern. In addition, chitin films prepared using non-degrading solvents retain most of the characteristic patterns. De-acylation of chitin to produce chitosan results in large changes to the diffraction pattern. To a very limited extent features present in the diffraction pattern of native chitin can be recovered by re-acylation of chitosan.

Crystal structure determination on the basis of powder diffraction data frequently involves the question how the given diffraction data with some appreciably hkl-dependent line broadening should be interpreted. In many cases, such line broadening may either: (i) reasonably well be reconciled with a certain high-symmetry structure model or (ii) with a variant of the former with lower symmetry crystal family, which frequently will give a somewhat better fit in Rietveld refinement. In this work, it is shown mathematically that symmetry reduction induced reflection spitting masked by other line broadening contributions, thus leading to some reflection splitting-induced line broadening, shows a similar hkl dependence as typically adopted for anisotropic microstrain broadening with respect to the high-symmetry structure. This implies that Rietveld refinement on the basis of the low-symmetry model (including typically isotropic line broadening) and on the basis of the high-symmetry model with anisotropic microstrain broadening can both lead to similar qualities of the fit. Hence, the refinement results for both possibilities should be carefully considered in combination with possibly available additional information (e.g. results of first-principles calculations) to arrive at adequate conclusions concerning the true symmetry of the material under investigation.