Development of a New Undergraduate Laboratory Methodology: Real-Time Fast-Scanning X-ray Diffractometry

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This project involves the development of a never-before-possible, next-generation lab for the teaching of x-ray diffraction (XRD). Although XRD is one of the most heavily used and depended upon of all analytical techniques in materials science and engineering, it has been extremely difficult to teach because of the time needed to run a typical x-ray scan. Hence, most of the class period is consumed by acquiring a scan, while any on-line, real-time analysis of the XRD data is impossible. Through this project, a new XRD system is developed for real-time analysis of crystallographic structures by using an x-ray generator with the high-speed acquisition capabilities of a position sensitive detector. The XRD hardware is linked to analysis software and databases by way of a local area network of PC-based engineering workstations to provide on-line, real-time analysis of XRD data and crystal structures. In this way, the major difficulty in teaching XRD, namely, the time needed to acquire a scan, is substantially diminished. This method revolutionizes the teaching of XRD because extended exposure to advanced studies involving XRD methodologies is available to undergrads for the first time.