X-Ray Powder Diffraction Analysis (XRD)

An X-Ray Diffraction analysis is a method in which a beam of X-Rays is usually directed at a fine powder of randomly oriented grains of crystalline substances. The X-Rays are scattered in directions that depend on the crystal structure of the sample and the resulting X-Ray diffraction pattern can uniquely identify the material. The method is used to identify individual minerals in randomly oriented bulk rock powder samples (grain sizes < 62 μm for qualitative analysis, < 10 μm for quantitative analysis), or in oriented samples (size fraction < 2 μm for clay mineralogy analysis).
The XRD Lab is equipped with a PANalytical Empyrean X-Ray Diffractometer, which is additionally equipped with a humidity chamber allowing (in situ) XRD analysis of rocks during changing temperature and/or humidity.
The XRD Lab is associated to the ElMiE Lab. Information on how to apply for analyses and the general terms and conditions can be found here and here.
For special X-Ray diffraction analysis the powder X-Ray diffractometer STOE StadiP can be used. This powder X-Ray diffractometer (XRD) consists of two individual instruments capable of X-Ray scattering analysis using both Cu (λ=1.54 Å) and Ag radiation (λ=0.56 Å) in transmission geometry. The XRD can be used to analyze both crystalline and amorphous samples by measuring either conventional diffraction patterns or high Q-range total scattering patterns for pair distribution function (PDF) analysis.
Measurements can be performed in room or elevated temperature up to 800 °C. The Powder X-Ray diffractometer STOE StadiP is part of the Mineral Characterisation Laboratories in Section 3.5 "Interface Geochemistry". For further information please contact Dr. Roberts Blukis.