Methods of chemical preparation and crystallographic data are reported for two new condensed phosphates: a hydrated cyclotriphosphate with a formula MnNa4(P3O9)2 4H2O and its anhydrous form MnNa4(P3O9)2. MnNa4(P3O9)2 4H2O is monoclinic P21/a with the following unit-cell dimensions: a=8.536(2) Å, b=14.309(3) Å, c=8.508(2) Å, β=96.452(2)°, and Z=2. MnNa4(P3O9)2 is monoclinic C2/c with the following unit-cell dimensions: a=13.198(2) Å, b=8.241(1) Å, c=14.228(2) Å, β=95.045(1)°, and Z=4.

The Rietveld method can be combined with the addition method to determine the absolute quantities of the phases treated by Rietveld refinement plus the quantity of phase(s) not treated by it (amorphous or unobserved). If q is the added proportion of a defined phase already present in the sample, and a1 and a2 its relative proportions as determined by Rietveld refinement prior and after the addition, the proportion of the amorphous (untreated) phase(s) in the original sample is calculated as xo=[a2−(1−q)a1−q]/(1−q)(a2−a1). The absolute quantities of the phases treated by Rietveld refinement are then determined by a correction for the content of the amorphous phase(s), or they can be calculated directly from specific equations. The advantage of the method is that no new variables are introduced in the refinement when the added standard already is a part of the original mixture.

Diffraction peak profiles broaden due to the smallness of crystallites and the presence of lattice defects. Strain broadening of powders of polycrystalline materials is often anisotropic in terms of the hkl indices. This kind of strain anisotropy has been shown to be well interpreted assuming dislocations as one of the major sources of lattice distortions. The knowledge of the dislocation contrast factors are inevitable for this interoperation. In a previous work the theoretical contrast factors were evaluated for cubic crystals for elastic constants in the Zener constant range 0.5≤Az≤8. A large number of ionic crystals and many refractory metals have elastic anisotropy, Az, well below 0.5. In the present work the contrast factors for this lower anisotropy-constant range are investigated. The calculations and the corresponding peak profile analysis are tested on ball milled PbS and Nb and nanocrystalline CeO2.

A simple ashing procedure for a mixture containing kaolinite and chrysotile is described that converts kaolinite to amorphous metakaolinite while retaining the diffraction intensity of chrysotile. This ashing procedure removes the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern overlap between kaolinite and chrysotile that can interfere with the analysis of even high concentrations of chrysotile. Samples are ashed at 460 °C in a muffle furnace for 40 h to completely convert kaolinite to metakaolinite. The complete conversion of 1 g of kaolinite under these conditions was determined for two standard kaolinite samples from Georgia, KGa-1 and KGa-2. Two of the most common types of commercial chrysotile, long-fiber Canadian and short-fiber Californian chrysotile, are demonstrated to retain diffraction intensity after ashing at 460 °C. Both chrysotile samples have the same integrated intensity for the (002) reflection prior to ashing, although the peak breadths for the two samples are quite different. Ashing at 480 and 500 °C reduces the diffraction intensities of both chrysotile samples by 15%, and broadens the peaks by approximately 3%. Using the prescribed ashing procedure and x-ray diffraction with an internal corundum standard, two kaolinite-bearing building materials containing chrysotile near 0.01 mass fraction were analyzed. The ashing procedure has additional advantages in reducing some samples to powders and removing volatile components, thereby eliminating some sample preparation procedures and concentrating any chrysotile present in the sample. The removal of volatile components improves the sensitivity of XRD analysis to concentrations below 0.01 mass fraction chrysotile.

The structure of new La0.7Pr0.3Ba2Cu3Oy (LPBCO) compound was obtained at room temperature from synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction data and refined by Rietveld technique. LPBCO has an isotypical structure with YBa2Cu3Oy (YBCO). The crystal data are: La0.7Pr0.3Ba2Cu3O6.96, Mr=716.16, orthorhombic system, space group Pmmm, a=3.9147(1) Å, b=3.8672(1) Å, c=11.7033(2) Å, V=177.177(6) Å3, Z=1, Dx=6.714 g/cm3; the structure was refined with 35 parameters to Rwp=7.41%, Rp=5.32%, and Rexp=3.07% for 5001 step intensities. Moreover, the total content of oxygen in a unit cell is refined as 6.96, which is less than that of the calculated one. We attribute the superconductivity-depression to the increase of the valence of copper.

The structure of BaSrR4O8 (where R=La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Eu, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) has been investigated, and the X-ray reference patterns of these compounds have been prepared using the Rietveld refinement technique. BaSrR2O4 are isostructural to BaR2O4, which have the CaFe2O4 structure type (orthorhombic, Pnam). The cell parameters of these compounds (R=Lu to La) range from 10.125 04(10) to 10.5501(8) Å for a, 3.362 49(3) to 3.692 04(24) Å for b, 11.846 91(13) to 12.5663(9) Å for c, and 403.33 to 489.47 Å3 for V, respectively. There is a linear relationship between V and the Shannon ionic radius of R. Unlike the BaR2O4 compositions (R=Tm, Lu, and Yb), which produced a mixture of Ba3R4O9 and unreacted lanthanide oxides, single-phase BaSrTm4O8, BaSrLu4O8, and BaSrYb4O8 were successfully prepared.

The structure of the oxyphosphate Li0.50Ni0.25TiO(PO4) has been determined from conventional X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. The parameters of the monoclinic cell (space group P21/c, Z=4), obtained from X-ray results, are: a=6.3954(6) Å, b=7.2599(6) Å, c=7.3700(5) Å, and β=90.266(6)°; those resulting from neutron study are: a=6.3906(7) Å, b=7.2568(7) Å, c=7.3673(9) Å, and β=90.234(7)°. Refinement by the Rietveld method using whole profile, leads to satisfactory reliability factors: cRwp=0.128, cRp=0.100, and RB=0.038 for X-ray and cRwp=0.110, cRp=0.120, and RB=0.060 for neutrons. The structure of Li0.50Ni0.25TiO(PO4) can be described as a TiOPO4 framework constituted by chains of tilted corner-sharing TiO6 octahedra running parallel to the c axis and cross linked by phosphate tetrahedra. In this framework, there are octahedral cavities occupied by Li and Ni atoms: Li occupies the totality of the 2a sites and Ni occupies statistically half of the 2b sites. Ti atoms are displaced from the center of octahedra units in alternating long (2.242 Å) and short (1.711 Å) Ti–O bonds along chains.

Most electrolytic zinc plants have to deal with dissolved magnesium in their process liquors, as zinc sulphide concentrates contain small amounts of magnesium. Applied magnesium bleed methods are generally expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Recently, a new approach was suggested and discussed, which involves selective magnesium fluoride precipitation from purified zinc sulphate solutions. X-ray fluorescence measurements of these precipitates indicated that the ratio Mg:F is not 1:2 as would be expected if the precipitate was MgF2, which should be formed on a theoretical basis. It was inferred that fluoride was partly substituted by hydroxyl groups. Analytical techniques such as infrared absorption spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetry were combined in order to verify this hypothesis. The precipitate indeed appeared to be a magnesium fluoro- hydroxide compound containing physically bound water. The results contribute to the understanding of the required operating conditions of the proposed process.

The change in the orthorhombic structure of PbZrO3 was studied as a function of the La substitution for Pb and Ti substitution for Zr. Two types of changes can occur: (1) a change in the atom coordinates toward the positions for a perfect cubic perovskite lattice; and (2) a change of orthorhombic unit cell parameters so that ao, bo, and co exactly fit with the cubic cell parameter ac. Therefore, ao=ac√2, bo=ac.2√2, and co=ac.2, where ao, bo, and co are the orthorhombic cell parameters, and ac is the cubic cell parameter. Substitution of Pb by La in the orthorhombic PLZT leads to both a change in atom coordinates and a change in unit cell parameters toward the perfect cubic structure, especially for La≥4. Substitution of Zr by Ti in the orthorhombic PLZT leads to similar atom coordinate changes, but the unit cell parameters do not change. The composition 0/92.5/7.5 contains a major tetragonal phase and a minor orthorhombic phase. There are only small differences in the orthorhombic structure between the A and the B composition of PLZT. The A composition has a structure closer to the cubic structure than the B composition.

A new variety of ammonium lanthanum sulfate, β-(NH4)La(SO4)2, was synthesized hydrothermally. The crystal structure was solved ab initio from powder diffraction data collected using a conventional X-ray source. The powder diffraction pattern was indexed by the successive dichotomy method: The symmetry is monoclinic, space group Pn, cell dimensions a=6.9365(4) Å, b=9.0055(5) Å, c=5.4541(4) Å, β=90.672(8)°, V=340.68(3) Å3 and Z=2 [M20=65, F30=124(0.0071,34)]. Direct methods were used for structure solution, and refinement of the atomic coordinates was carried out by the Rietveld method (RF=0.061, Rwp=0.099). The structure contains anionic layers built from lanthanum atoms ninefold coordinated to monodentate and bidentate sulfate oxygen atoms. Ammonium groups, which provide hydrogen bonds, are located between the layers. The crystal structure contrasts with that of the α phase, which is less dense by a factor of 4.4%.

In this study we deal with the determination of crystallite-size distribution and microstrain measurement in austempered ductile irons (ADI) subjected to cold deformation, by means of x-ray diffraction line broadening. The deformation process imposed on the material yields the formation of microstrain and crystallite size domains within each grain, which are somehow related to the mechanical behavior of the alloy. Three series of samples were cold-worked from 2.5% to 20.0% of thickness reduction in order to determine the domain size and microstrain induced in the material, in terms of the original thickness of the castings and the percentage of cold work. The x-ray diffraction line-broadening effects were analyzed by means of the Warren–Averbach method, which allowed the separation of size and strain parameters. The particle size distribution resulted in an average column length in the range of 15.7–24.9 nm in the ferrite phase, while the austenite phase showed values varying between 13.4 and 36.3 nm. On the other side, the overall root mean square strain varied from 0.000 85 to 0.003 93 for ferrite and from 0.000 65 to 0.004 38 for austenite. In all of the studied cases the average column length decreased with increasing deformation, while the initial thickness of the cast samples did not show any clear correlation with increasing deformation.

The powder diffraction pattern of the new cubic perovskite material La0.2Sr0.8Fe0.8Co0.1Cr0.1O3−δ is described. The compound has a unit cell parameter of a=3.875 27(1) Å with Z=1 and Dx=5.75 g/cm3.

Rietveld refinement using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data revealed that the crystal structure of synthetic Na-birnessite is triclinic (C1), not monoclinic as was previously reported. The Mn–O octahedra have elongated axial bonds, consistent with Jahn–Teller distortion resulting from partial occupancy by Mn3+. Mean Mn–O distances indicate that Mn sites are ∼2/3 Mn4+ and ∼1/3 Mn3+. The interlayer Na cations and H2O molecules occupy a split site that shows evidence of considerable disorder.

Rietveld neutron powder profile analysis of the (Na1−xKx)0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NKBT) series (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) is reported over the temperature range 293–993 K. A detailed characterization of the structures and phase transitions occurring across this series as a function of temperature has been made. Room-temperature refinements have revealed a rhombohedral phase, space group R3c for x=0, 0.2, and 0.4, which exhibits an antiphase, a−a−a− oxygen tilt system with parallel cation displacements along [111]p. An intermediate zero-tilt rhombohedral phase, space group R3m possessing cation displacements along [111]p, has been established for x=0.5 and 0.6. At the potassium-rich end of the series at x=0.8 and 1.0, a tetragonal phase, space group P4mm is observed possessing cation displacements along [001]. At the sodium-rich end of the series for x=0.2, the unusual tetragonal structure with space group P4bm is seen for Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 which possesses a combination of in-phase a0a0c+ tilts and antiparallel cation displacements along the polar axis. Temperature-induced phase transitions are reported and structural modifications are discussed.

The compound Th13Te24O74 was prepared by three independent methods, namely, thermal decomposition of ThTe2O6 in oxygen and argon and direct solid-state reaction of ThO2 and TeO2. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns of the three products, by and large, are similar, except for some differences in intensities and extra diffraction lines. The thermal decomposition of ThTe2O6 was carried out in the streams of oxygen and argon by thermogravimetry at a heating rate of 5 K/min in the temperature range of 725–840 °C. The solid-state reaction of ThO2 and TeO2 (13:24) was carried out in a sealed ampoule at 700 °C. The measured density of this compound is 8.23 g/cm3. An orthorhombic lattice with unit cell parameters, a=11.310±0.005 Å, b=14.064±0.006 Å, c=9.056±0.004 Å, and volume of 1440.419±1.088 (Å)3 was determined for this compound.

X-ray diffraction techniques have been applied to study the crystallization of poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate), PEN. Uniaxial and biaxial orientation of amorphous cast PEN films resulted in stress-induced crystallization of the triclinic α-PEN polymorph. Annealing of the amorphous PEN samples in the range of 160–240 °C produced thermally induced crystallization of α-PEN. Slow cooling of amorphous PEN from the melt state generated α-PEN as well as the triclinic β-PEN polymorph.

The atomic displacement parameters of individual ions in SrO have been determined from the Rietveld analysis of high-resolution powder neutron diffraction data. As the neutron velocity is smaller than the sound velocity in SrO, the intensity data was not corrected for the effect of thermal diffuse scattering. The room temperature value of overall isotropic thermal displacement parameters was B=0.57(2) Å2; which corresponds to Debye temperature, Θ of 242(4) K. The results are compared with experimental and theoretical estimates.

Previously unpublished powder X-ray diffraction data for potassium silver thiocyanate, AgK(SCN)2 and dipotassium silver thiocyanate, AgK2(SCN)3 are presented. F30 values for AgK(SCN)2 and AgK2(SCN)3 are 80(0.0075, 50) and 53(0.0089, 63), respectively. The Rietveld refinement of the patterns is also performed. For AgK(SCN)2Rp=6.98, Rwp=11.84, and RBragg=2.9. For AgK2(SCN)3Rp=7.22, Rwp=10.79, and RBragg=5.0.

A novel porous material of composition Zn3(VO4)2⋅3H2O was prepared hydrothermally. The solid crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P6, with a=6.078 77(8), c=7.1827(2) Å, and V=229.857 Å3.

The structure of a new iodate, (LiFe1/3)(IO3)2, has been determined. The new compound has a hexagonal structure with the lattice parameters a=5.4632(2) Å, c=5.0895(6) Å, Z=1. The density is 4.70 g cm−3. Rietveld refinement confirms that the compound has a space group of P63 (173). Fe and Li atoms randomly distribute on the 2a cation site.