Crystal structure of a new compound KBaB5O9 has been investigated from X-ray powder diffraction data. This compound is isostructural with KSrB5O9 and crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group P21/c. Unit-cell parameters are a=6.7200(2) Å, b=8.3256(2) Å, c=14.3674(4) Å, and β=92.6103(3) deg. Its structure contains both B3O7 and B3O8 rings, which share a common B atom to form a complex two dimensional network constituting the basic B5O9 unit in the formula. Adjacent networks are bound together by Ba and K atoms, which have eight- and nine-coordinate sites, respectively. In addition, DTA and TGA curves reveal that KBaB5O9 decomposes at 798 °C. Photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of KBaB5O9:Eu3+ have been studied. The PL spectra show the strongest emission at 618 nm and the quench concentration of Eu3+ is 4 at. %.

A series of complex perovskite solid solutions of Ba[(Mg1−xCdx)0.33Nb0.67]O3 have been synthesized by the columbite method. Detailed Rietveld refinement of their X-ray diffraction data show that Ba[(Mg1−xCdx)0.33Nb0.67]O3 has an order trigonal structure. The ordering degree as determined by the B-site occupancies increases with the partial substitution of Cd for Mg. However, a decrease in the ordering degree in the Ba(Cd0.33Nb0.67)O3 sample is observed, which can be attributed to a relatively lower synthesis temperature. All the impurity phases are successfully identified by X-ray quantitative phase analysis. Dielectrics properties at low frequencies for all the Ba[(Mg1−xCdx)0.33Nb0.67]O3 compounds have been measured successfully.

X-ray powder diffraction technique and the Rietveld refinement method have been used successfully for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of Pingguo bauxite from Guangxi, China. Qualitative phase analysis shows that the Pingguo bauxite contains diaspore (AlOOH), hematite (Fe2O3), goethite (FeOOH), anatase (TiO2), and kaolinite (Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4). Quantitative Rietveld refinement shows that the weight concentrations of diaspore, goethite, hematite, anatase, and kaolinite for the Pingguo bauxite are 71.9(4)%, 7.0(8)%, 11.3(7)%, 6.5(6)%, and 3.3(9)%, respectively.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Internal stresses and textures of electroplated copper films (t=2, 8, 15, 30, 45, and 60) electrodeposited on Al substrates were studied using X-ray diffraction techniques. Results show that the stresses in the films are tensile. The 8 to 60 μm thick films have (220) fiber texture, in good agreement with strain energy minimization calculation. Results also show that a further rotational alignment of the fiber-textured grains was developed, and small amounts of the fiber-textured grains have their (2, −2, 0) planes aligned parallel to the flow direction of the electrodeposited currents. The degree of the rotation alignment increases with film thickness. Values of stress and the degree of texture of copper films were found to be adjustable using an ultrasound technique. Internal stress and the degree of the (220) texture decrease significantly by applying an ultrasound treatment during the electrodeposition process.

A novel borate compound Ba3ScB9O18 has been synthesized by solid-state reaction and its structure has been determined and refined from powder X-ray diffraction data. This compound crystallizes in a hexagonal cell (space group P63/m) with lattice parameters a=7.1360(4) Å and c=16.5420(9) Å, and each unit cell contains two formulas. Its crystal structure is made up of planar B3O6 groups parallel to each other along the [001] direction, regular ScO6 octahedra, irregular BaO6 hexagons, and BaO9 polyhedra to form an analogue structure of Ba3YB9O18. DTA and TGA curves for Ba3ScB9O18 show that it is a chemically stable and congruent melting compound. Luminescence properties for Ba3ScB9O18 were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray excited luminescence measurements. Its emission spectrum upon UV excitation (330 nm) has exhibited a prominent blue-green emission band at about 490 nm, and its XEL spectra show an intense emission band in the range of 360 to 500 nm with peak center at 400 nm. The light yield of Ba3ScB9O18 powders is about 23% as large as that of BGO powders under the same measurement conditions. There seems to be a certain relationship between the scintillation properties and the structural features of Ba3ScB9O18.

Crystal structure of high-temperature modification of Pd73Sn14Te13 has been refined by the Rietveld method from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data. Refined crystallographic data of Pd73Sn14Te13 are a=7.6456(3) Å, c=13.9575(9) Å, V=706.75(6) Å3, space group P63cm (No. 185), Z=6, and Dx=10.71 g/cm3. The title compound is isostructural with Pd5Sb2 and Ni5As2; it can be considered as a stacking and filling variant of the Ni2In structure. An important structural feature in the high-temperature modification of Pd73Sn14Te13 is the presence of various Pd-Pd bonds.

Structural properties of Cd1−xCuxCr2O4(CCCO) have been investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld analysis. A structural phase transformation from Fd3m to I42d at x=0.64 has been detected. The lattice constant a of the cubic unit cell decreases rapidly with increasing Cu content up to x=0.62. At x=0.64, the cubic unit cell is compressed into a tetragonal cell and CrO6 octahedrons are distorted. With continuing Cu content increases above 0.64, the distortion of the unit cell is released slightly according to the changes in c/a. Magnetic properties of Cd1−xCuxCr2O4(x=0.1,0.3,0.5,0.7) have also been measured and are discussed.

Nanocrystallized oxide precursors of colored (oxy)nitrides related to the system Yb-(Zr-W)-O have been successfully prepared using a chimie douce process—the amorphous citrate route. The process involves first a formation of fine and homogeneous powdered solids obtained by calcination at 600 °C, a temperature much lower than that of the conventional solid-state method. At this stage, the X-ray diffraction patterns exhibit large line broadening effects. Finally, two well-crystallized and pure quaternary oxides have been readily obtained by heating and under annealing conditions at 850 and 900 °C for 12 h. For one of the patterns, all the X-ray diffraction lines can be easily indexed to a cubic phase with the fluorite structure conforming to the Fm3m space group [Yb2Zr1.21W0.41O6.65◻1.35 called C-phase: a=5.1864(2) Å]. The second phase adopts the sheelite-type structure [Yb2ZrWO8 called T-phase: space group I41/a, a=5.1584(5), and c=10.8246(6) Å]. By taking into account the present compositions determined by EDS measurements, Rietveld structure refinements produce final RB factors of 0.015 and 0.044, and Rwp factors of 0.069 and 0.089, respectively. In order to characterize the microstructure of the materials (crystallite size and lattice distortion) at the nanometer scale, a study based on diffraction line broadening analysis applying the whole pattern refinement method was also undertaken with confidence. The results show smooth angular variations of the values of FWHMs, indicating that the microstructural properties are isotropic for the cubic and tetragonal oxides. More precisely, the results indicate that whatever the profile fitting approach used (“profile matching” procedure and Rietveld method), the reliability factors Rwp are systematically better with a combined size strain than with zero strain considerations. The strain magnitudes observed for the C-phase-850 °C as well as for the T-phase-900 °C should be viewed as realistic strain.

High-precision unit-cell parameters for the TiO2 polymorphs anatase and rutile at temperatures between 300 and 575 K have been determined using Rietveld analysis of synchrotron powder XRD data. Polynomial models were used to express the tetragonal unit-cell parameters as a function of absolute temperature, with a (anatase)=1.759 37×10−8×T2+6.418 16×10−6×T+3.779 84, c (anatase)=6.6545×10−8×T2+4.0464×10−5×T+9.4910, V (anatase)=2.237 58×10−6×T2+1.027 77×10−3×T+135.602, a (rutile)=−6.636 42×10−11×T3+1.005 01×10−7×T2−1.009 9310−5×T+4.586 34, c (rutile)=−4.115 50×10−11×T3+6.405 94×10−8×T2+4.675 61×10−7T+2.951 81, and V (rutile)=−2.7790×10−9×T3+4.2386×10−6×T2−3.3551×10−4×T+62.100. The polynomial expressions were used to calculate linear (α) and volume (β) thermal expansion coefficients of anatase and rutile between 300 and 575 K. At 298.15 K, these values were αa=4.46943×10−6 K−1, αc=8.4283×10−6 K−1, and β=17.3542×10−6 K−1 for anatase, and αa=6.99953×10−6 K−1, αc=9.36625×10−6 K−1, and β=28.680×10−6 K−1 for rutile.