X-ray powder diffraction was used to analyze and evaluate 11 samples of traditional Chinese medicine, Costustoot, found at various locations in China. A reference fingerprint pattern with 48 characteristic peaks for Costustoot was obtained from X-ray diffraction patterns of six Costustoots from the rhizomes of Aucklandia lappa Decne. The reference fingerprint pattern with 48 characteristic peaks for Costustoot was then used to evaluate the remaining five Costustoot materials. X-ray diffraction results show that the X-ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint pattern method can be used for rapid classification, identification, and quality control of Costustoots.

The crystal structures of Mn, Zn, and Cd nitroprussides in their anhydrous state, M[Fe(CN)5NO] (M=Mn, Zn, Cd), were refined from XRD powder patterns using the Rietveld method. These compounds have a porous framework useful for adsorption and storage of small molecules. Water crystallization can be removed by heating below 100 °C without disrupting the 3D network by introducing certain structural modification mainly around the M site (Mn, Zn, Cd). For M=Mn and Cd, the compounds were found to be orthorhombic with space group Pnma [Mn:a=13.7844(1), b=7.3750(2), c=10.9470(2) Å, V=1112.8(1) Å3, Z=4; Cd:a=13.9566(3), b=7.5040(4), c=11.0230(2) Å, V=1154.4(1) Å3, Z=4]. Anhydrous zinc nitroprusside crystallizes in rhombohedral with space group R3 [a=b=19.2525(1), c=17.7107(2) Å, γ=120.0°, V=5685.1(1) Å3, Z=18]. When exposed to humid air, these anhydrous compounds become hydrated. The XRD powder patterns were recorded under vacuum on samples dehydrated in situ. The structural information from XRD was complemented with thermo-gravimetric, infrared, and Mössbauer data.

The crystal structures of ruthenium oxides with the general formula Nd2−xMxRu2O7−y, where M is Cu or Ag, 0≤x≤0.25, were investigated. All compounds that were prepared exhibit the pyrochlore structure with a cubic unit cell. The compounds were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, and single-phase structures were found for Nd2−xCuxRu2O7−y, x=0.1, 0.2, 0.25, and for Nd2−xAgxRu2O7−y, x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2. The relative metal concentrations were verified by EDS. The cell parameters were determined by advanced peak-position analysis and calibrated by a Si internal standard. Atomic positions and oxygen occupancies where refined by the Rietveld method. It was found that the cell-size modifications agree with the relations between ionic sizes.

XRD analysis of plasma-vapor-deposited ErT2 films during aging (T decay to 3He) reveals an hkl-dependent unit-cell expansion in which (200) grains expand out-of-plane as much as 0.01 Å more than (111) out-of-plane grains. Texture analysis of an aged ErT2 film reveals a bimodal (111)/(200) out-of-plane preferred orientation. sin2 ψ analysis reveals significant in-plane macro-strain due to 3He bubble formation/growth. The mechanistic origins regarding these observations are also discussed.

Silver K edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy of films containing silver behenate (AgBeh) in the unprocessed, fully processed, and step-processed states has been performed. The results of the EXAFS analysis indicate that the intensity for the real-space peak for the Ag-O distance (∼2.3 Å) decreases while the real-space peak for the Ag-Ag distance (∼2.9 Å) grows with increasing thermal processing of the film. The changes observed in the real-space EXAFS signal indicate the growth of metallic silver at the expense of AgBeh. The X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) portion of the signal shows that the absorption edge position varies stepwise, with unprocessed films and pure AgBeh having an edge location at 25 506 eV, films processed from steps 1 through 10 have an absorption edge at 25 508 eV, and the fully processed film has an edge location at 25 512 eV.

Crystal structure and phase transformation behaviors in two Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs) with compositions of Ni48Mn30Ga22 and Ni53Mn25Ga22 (at. %) as a function of temperature were investigated by in situ neutron diffraction experiments. Neutron diffraction technique proves to be highly efficient in characterizing structural transformation in Ni-Mn-Ga FSMAs, which consist of nearby elements in the periodic table. Our neutron results show that Ni48Mn30Ga22 has a cubic, L21 Heusler structure from 373 to 293 K. Its crystal structure changes into a seven-layered orthorhombic martensitic structure when cooled to 243 K, and no further transformation is observed upon cooling to 19 K. Neutron diffraction results also show that Ni53Mn25Ga22 has a tetragonal I4/mmm martensitic structure from 20 to 403 K. A pre-transformation around room temperature is observed from an abrupt jump in unit-cell volume of Ni53Mn25Ga22, which corresponds with an endothermic peak detected in a heated DSC curve.

Synthesis and structure of two phosphates belonging to the ternary Sb2O5-Fe2O3-P2O5 system are reported. Structures of both SbV1.50FeIII0.50(PO4)3 and (SbV0.50FeIIIe0.50)P2O7 phases, obtained by solid state reaction in air atmosphere at 950 °C and 900 °C, respectively, were determined at room temperature from X-ray powder diffraction using the Rietveld method. Sb1.50Fe0.50(PO4)3 phosphate belongs to the Nasicon-type structure with R32 space group. Hexagonal cell parameters are ahex.=8.305(1) Å and chex.=22.035(2) Å. Rietveld refinement results show a 2-2 ordered distribution, along the c-axis, of X(1) and X(2) sites (crystallographic formula [Sb0.88Fe0.12]X(1)[Fe0.38Sb0.62]X(2)(PO4)3) in the Nasicon framework. (Sb0.50Fe0.50)P2O7 is isotypic with β-SbP2O7 pyrophosphate [Pna21 space group; a=7.865(1) Å, b=15.699(2) Å, c=7.847(1) Å]. Its crystal structure is built up from corner-shared SbO6 or FeO6 octahedra and P2O7 groups (two group types). Each P2O7 group shares its six vertices with three SbO6 and three FeO6 octahedra, and each octahedra is connected to six P2O7 groups. A quasi 1-1 ordered distribution, along the b-axis, of Sb5+ and Fe3+ ions in the pyrophosphate framework are observed.

The synthesis and X-ray powder diffraction data for the organometallic [Rh2(bim)2(cod)2]Cl2∙2H2O species are reported. Its crystal and molecular structures were determined by simulated annealing and full-profile Rietveld refinement methods. [Rh2(bim)2(cod)2]Cl2∙2H2O was found to crystallize in the orthorhombic Cmca space group. The lattice parameters were determined to be a=21.3574(6), b=10.7764(3), c=14.2795(4) Å, V=3286.5(2) Å3, for Z=4. The crystal structure was found to contain dimeric [Rh2(bim)2(cod)2]2+ cations, in which the bim ligands bridge Rh(cod) fragments with an intermetallic separation of ca. 8.90 Å. The crystal structure is completed by chloride ions and hydrogen-bonded water molecules, situated in the small cavities of the large cation substructure. The conformation of the bim ligand, lying on a crystallographic mirror plane, is rigorously Cs.

A new ternary compound Gd117Fe52Ge112 has been successfully synthesized and studied by means of X-ray powder diffraction technique. Gd117Fe52Ge112 crystallizes in a cubic Tb117Fe52Ge112-type structure with space group Fm3m(#225) and lattice parameter a=28.7680(1) Å. Crystal structure of Gd117Fe52Ge112 has been successfully refined using the Rietveld method from X-ray diffraction data. The R-factors for the Rietveld refinement are Rp=0.099 and Rwp=0.128. X-ray powder diffraction data with the figure of merit F30 of 80.4(30) are also reported.

A novel synthesis method of fibrillar trimolybdates with the use of Ag2Mo3O10∙2H2O as a precursor has been used successfully to synthesize methylammonium trimolybdate, (CH3NH3)2Mo3O10∙H2O. The crystal structure of this compound was determined by X-ray powder diffraction method and refined by the Rietveld method. The compound is orthorhombic, space group Pnma (62), with a=11.241(3), b=7.585(1), and c=15.516(4) Å. The redetermined crystal structure of the precursor and the structure of the title compound are compared and discussed.

The painting materials and drawing techniques of a pair of two-panel folding screens entitled Red and White Plum Blossoms by Ogata Korin, a national treasure in Japan, were investigated directly and nondestructively by XRF, X-ray radiography, and high resolution digital imaging. Several assumptions were made about the materials used in the red and white plum trees drawn on the right and left screens, respectively, and the river drawn at the center. By the present investigation, the materials used for the paintings were revealed, and some of them contradicted what have been previously believed.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the tetraphosphinic Si(CH2PPh2)4 silane are reported. Its crystal and molecular structures were determined by simulated annealing and full-profile Rietveld refinement methods. Si(CH2PPh2)4 was found to have tetragonal symmetry with P-421c space group. The lattice parameters were determined to be a=17.211(2) Å, c=7.553(1) Å, V=2237.5(5) Å3. The crystal structure was found to contain isolated Si(CH2PPh2)4 molecules. In each Si(CH2PPh2)4 molecule, the central Si atom was fixed at the −4 symmetric position bearing four CH2PPh2 branches. This environment was confirmed by 31P CP/MAS NMR measurements. Thermo-diffractometric measurements in the 20–120 °C range were also used to estimate the linear and volumetric thermal expansion coefficients (∂ ln V/∂T=1.8×10−4 K−1), typical for very “soft” materials.

Techniques for estimation of element levels directly in humans (noninvasive in vivo) or in samples (in vitro) from humans are reviewed. Toxic, nonessential, trace elements may cause temporary or permanent damage to various organs and tissues in humans. There is thus a need to control the concentrations. Knowledge of the relations between toxic effects and element concentration may be extracted from measurements in humans as well as in samples from humans and her environment. Applications traditionally include occupationally exposed subjects, but an increasing research area is studies of members of the general population and of patients undergoing therapy for malignant and other diseases. Most in vivo XRF studies deal with lead in bone and cadmium in kidneys. For retired lead workers, a clear association has been demonstrated between bone lead and blood lead, due to endogenous lead excretion from the skeleton. A study of mercury in vivo showed that the technique is capable of detecting mercury in heavily exposed worker’s kidneys. In vivo XRF in cancer and rheumatology patients has helped to understand how platinum and gold are retained in the human body. The newest in vivo applications include zinc in prostate gland and arsenic in skin.

Polycrystalline TiN/SiNx multilayer coatings were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering from Ti and Si targets. Interfaces, structures, and mechanical properties of the multilayers were characterized using X-ray reflectivity (XRR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nanoindentation analyses. Results showed that substrate bias voltage had a significant influence on the structures and mechanical properties of the multilayer coatings, in which sharp interfaces are responsible for an enhancement of mechanical properties of the multilayer coatings. The maximum hardness occurs at the −80 V coating with the sharpest interface and the strongest [200] preferred orientation.

The crystal structure of recently discovered chromium (III) dimagnesium trivanadate (V) Mg2CrV3O11 was refined using the Rietveld method. The crystal system of Mg2CrV3O11 is triclinic with space group P1− (Mg1.7Zn0.3GaV3O11 type) and lattice parameters a=6.4057(1) Å, b=6.8111(1) Å, c=10.0640(2) Å, α=97.523(1)°, β=103.351(1)°, γ=101.750(1)°, and Z=2. The characteristic feature of compounds in the A2BV3O11 (A=Mg, Zn and B=Ga, Fe, Cr) family is a strong tendency to share the octahedral M(1) and M(2) sites by both divalent A and trivalent B atoms, and the bipyramidal M(3) sites occupied by divalent A ions. In the present refinement, the only constraint assuming full occupancy of the M(1), M(2), and M(3) sites leads to the following Cr/(Cr+Mg) ratios: 0.70(2) at M(1), 0.24(2) at M(2), and 0.03(2) at M(3). These occupancies are discussed and compared to those of isotypic compounds. The values of interatomic distances are found to be comparable with those reported by R. D. Shannon in 1976. Electron paramagnetic resonance has been also analyzed. Two absorption lines with g≈2.0 (type I) and g≈1.98 (type II) have been recorded in the EPR spectra, and attributed to V4+ ions and Cr3+–Cr3+ ion pairs, respectively. The exchange constant J between Cr3+ ions has been calculated.

Trigonal rare-earth dioxymonocyanamides Ln2O2CN2 (Ln=Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) were synthesized by the modified solid-state metathesis (SSM) method, in which Ln2O3 and melamine C3N6H6 were mixed and heated at 850 °C in vacuumed silica ampoules. Possible chemical reaction pathways are proposed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of Ln2O2CN2 were refined using the Rietveld method. Compounds Ln2O2CN2 crystallize in the trigonal system with space group P3m1, Z=1, and cell parameters of a and c varying from 3.7267(1) to 3.6407(1) Å and from 8.1848(3) to 8.1152(3) Å, respectively, as Ln atoms change from Dy to Yb. These compounds have stacking structures of Ln2O22+ and CN22− layers, similar to those of previously reported compounds Ln2O2CN2 (Ln=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd). The presence of CN22− ions has been confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, with two characteristic peaks in the vicinity of 651 and 2075 cm−1.

The structure of a chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond thin film on a Mo substrate was studied using quasi-parallel X-ray and glancing incidence techniques. Conventional X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the sample consists of a diamond thin film, a Mo2C transition layer, and Mo substrate. The Mo2C transition layer was formed by a chemical reaction between the diamond film and the Mo substrate during the CVD process. A method for layer-thickness determination of the thin film and the transition layer was developed. This method was based on a relationship between X-ray diffraction intensities from the transition layer or its substrate and a function of grazing incidence angles. Results of glancing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis showed that thicknesses of the diamond thin film and the Mo2C transition layer were determined successfully with high precision.

We report on the use of a microcalorimeter X-ray detector with a transition edge sensor in an electron probe to perform quantitative analysis. We analyzed two bulk samples of multielement glasses that have been previously characterized by chemical methods for use as standard reference materials. The spectra were analyzed against standards using three different correction schemes. In one of the standards, the reference line was easily resolved despite its proximity within 45 eV of another line. With the exception of direct measurements of oxygen (a particularly challenging element), the results are in agreement with the certified characterization to better than 1% absolute or 8% relative. This demonstrates the potential of microcalorimeter detectors as replacements for conventional energy dispersive detectors in applications requiring high energy resolution.

Crystal structure of the triclinic ternary phase Cr4(Al, Si)11 was investigated by full-profile Rietveld analysis of powder diffraction data. Four hundred eighty-four reflections were refined to a final RBragg value of 5.00%. Cr4(Al, Si)11 is isostructural to Mn4Al11. Silicon atoms enter into the structure by partially replacing aluminium on the Al(1) and Al(2) sites.

In the course of an investigation of cracks in certain magnesia floors containing the mineral chlorartinite [Mg2(CO3)(H2O)(OH)]Cl·H2O, the dehydration process of chlorartinite was carried out in high vacuum. The crystal structure of dehydrated chlorartinite [Mg2(CO3)(H2O)(OH)]Cl was refined from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data using the Rietveld method [R3c, a=22.6791(5) Å, c=7.22336(14) Å, V=3217.52(11) Å3, Z=18, Rp=4.13%, Rwp=5.82%]. Dehydrated chlorartinite exhibits the same type of 3D honeycomb zeolite-like crystal structure with large channels as the hydrated form. Compared to the hydrated form, the channels of dehydrated chlorartinite are empty because of the removal of all non-coordinating water molecules with the cell volume shrinking by 4.0%, leading to a more distorted environment of the magnesium atoms.