MRI-R2: Acquisition of a powder X-ray diffractometer for chemistry research

Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program Professor Brian F. Woodfield and colleagues Juliana Boerio-Goates, Branton J. Campbell and Roger G. Harrison from the Department of Chemistry at Brigham Young University will acquire a powder X-ray diffractometer capable of carrying out routine phase identification and advanced structural analysis including phase identification of synthetic products, nanoparticle-size determination, and Rietveld structural analysis. Specific applications are: 1) studies of products of nanoparticle and catalyst syntheses; 2) nanocrystal growth kinetics; 3) relationships between nanoparticle and bulk structure; 4) semiconductor nanoparticle chemistry; 5) bioinorganic nanoparticle chemistry; and 6) materials physics. An X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. A powder diffractometer allows diffraction studies in powdered crystalline materials. The data provide information on particle sizes, phase identification and sample purity. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including chemistry and materials chemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.