Powder X-ray Diffraction in the Undergraduate Curriculum

粉末X射线衍射（XRD）是化学、材料科学、物理学和地球科学从业者的重要技术。它是鉴定和定量固体样品中物相的主要方法。因此，在本科实验室的粉末XRD实验设备是潜在的很大的教学价值。然而，在本科实验室课程中使用粉末XRD存在两个相当大的问题：传统上设备昂贵，并且收集适合定性或定量分析的粉末衍射图案需要15至30分钟。一个典型的实验课时间太短，如果使用一台仪器，每个学生无法收集和分析自己的数据，如果每年只使用少量的实验，那么仪器的高成本排除了购买多个系统的可能性。最近，理学公司已经开始销售一种低成本的粉末XRD系统（Miniflex），该系统的设计考虑到了便携性和现场工作。建议购买三个相同的Miniflex系统，用于化学和材料科学（MSE）本科课程。这些小型坚固的系统将安装在实验室推车上，并使用笔记本电脑进行控制。它们的便携性将使我们能够在教室和建筑物之间移动仪器，以便获得最大可能的影响。购买三个相同的系统将为我们提供所需的样品吞吐量，为实验室课堂上的每一位本科生提供实践经验。该硬件将用于以下化学和材料科学课程：分析化学（工程师和化学专业），有机化学，物理化学，高级无机化学，MSE晶体学和衍射，以及MSE材料实验室。该项目每年将使400名学生受益。

Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) is an important technique for practitioners of Chemistry, Materials Science, Physics, and Earth Science. It is the primary method for identifying and quantifying the phases in solid samples. Consequently, equipment for powder XRD experiments in the undergraduate lab is potentially of great pedagogical value. However, there are two sizable problems associated with the use of powder XRD in undergraduate lab classes: the equipment has traditionally been expensive and the collection of a powder diffraction pattern suitable for qualitative or quantitative analysis takes between 15 and 30 minutes. A typical lab class is too short to allow each student to collect and analyze their own data if a single instrument is employed, and the high cost of the instrumentation precludes the purchase of multiple systems if the instrumentation is only employed for a small number of experiments each year.Recently, Rigaku has begun marketing a low cost powder XRD system (Miniflex) that is designed with portability and fieldwork in mind. The purchase of three identical Miniflex systems for use in both Chemistry and Materials Science (MSE) undergraduate classes is proposed. These small rugged systems will be set up on lab carts and controlled using lap top computers. Their portability will allow us to move the instrumentation between classrooms and buildings so that the maximum possible impact can be obtained. The purchase of three identical systems will give us the sample throughput needed to provide every undergraduate in a lab class with hands on experience. This hardware will be used in the following Chemistry and Materials Science classes: analytical chemistry (for both engineers and chemistry majors), organic chemistry, physical chemistry, advanced inorganic chemistry, MSE crystallography and diffraction, and the MSE Materials Laboratory. The proposed project will benefit 400 students per year.