X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) systems analyze the structure of materials such as crystals and powders. The X-Ray Tube generates heat from the interaction of electrons in the cathode and the anode. The electrons emitted from the cathode (filament) are
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The Siemens D5000 and Bruker D8 systems we work with have an optional phi-stage that is very useful. It looks and moves like any other rotation stage, but it’s driven by a stepper motor which actually makes it an additional
Much of the material we receive is already finely ground and ready for XRD or XRF analysis, but sometimes we receive bulk material which must be homogenized before we can take a representative split for analysis. This is one of
This project started with a phone call several months ago from a Canadian government lab. They had a very specific application so the design was driven much more by their requirements than most zero-background holder designs. A 1mm deep well
Your little scientist will love the realistic lights and sounds of their very own X-ray diffraction system. At KSA we are firm believers that kids learn best by “doing”. There’s no better way to bring the next generation of bright
The D4 Endeavor fits in a unique niche in the XRD world. It’s basically the same thing as a Bruker D8, but built into a very compact cabinet with a large autosampler on top. These machines see heavy use in
There’s a simple and inverse relationship between the average atomic number of a given matrix and the efficiency with which it scatters X-rays. The effect isn’t all that much different from shining a flashlight on a white piece of paper.
It’s easy to forget how much of our scientific work hinges upon comparative data. The entire field of metrology is concerned with the verification and maintenance of “standard reference materials” (SRMs). Creating a perfect reference standard essentially involves proving a
XRD tubes rely on the ability to precisely regulate the flow of electrons from the filament to the anode in order to create x-ray emissions. That requires a completely evacuated envelope to avoid having the high-voltage short to ground. The
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s the lifeblood of a well-functioning analytical lab. A few days ago, Todd was preparing a water chiller for shipping and washed out some corrosion products with acetic acid. The resulting solution was
Plastic sample holders have been the default option XRD for decades. They’re inexpensive to make, good enough for most purposes, and very resistant to a wide range of chemicals. Seems like a “win” all around right? As long as they’re
We’ve been experimenting with better ways to quantify the quality of XRD tubes in the shop. We use these tests on new and used tubes to monitor performance in two key areas. 1) Intensity 2) Spectral purity. What we’ve settled on