An Introduction to the Scope, Potential and Applications of X-ray Analysis

Michael Laing

Chemistry Department, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

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1. Generation and Properties of X-rays
2. Safety and other Practical Considerations
3. Structure of Crystals
4. Classification of Crystals
5. Diffraction of X-rays
6. Laue, Powder and Single Crystal Methods
   • The Laue method
   • The powder method
   • Moving crystal and moving film methods
     • The rotation method
     • The Weissenberg method
     • The precession method
     • The reciprocal lattice explorer
     • Diffractometers
7. Application to the Analysis of Materials
   • Absorption
   • Fluorescence
   • Diffraction
     • Qualitative analysis
     • Quantitative analysis
     • Structure of alloys
     • Stress determination in metals
     • Determination of particle size
     • Identification and raw material evaluation

• Further Reading

Teaching Aims

To help students, industrialists, etc., to understand what is the potential of X-ray crystallography with an outline indication of how the various techniques can be applied.

Level

It could be used as a background reader at school level, as an introductory text for metallurgists or materials scientists needing a short course, or as an introduction for non-specialists with some science background.

Background

A general interest in physical scence up to about University entrance standard is all that is required.

Practical Resources

A list of references for further reading is given at the end. Access to a standard X-ray laboratory with various types of cameras would be needed if used as a full course.

Time Required for Teaching

The material itself could be dealt with in an hour or two---but it could equally form the basis, with expansion by the teacher---of about a twenty hour course.

Copyright © 1981, 1997 International Union of Crystallography