MRI: Acquisition of a Powder X-ray Diffractometer for Research and Teaching

纽约-奥尔巴尼州立大学化学系将获得一项主要研究仪器(MRI)奖，以获得一套X射线粉末衍射仪系统。这将用于各种体系的研究，包括铋氧簇合物、含有卤素原子的多面体空腔的超分子组件、富碳开放测地线聚芳烃、多相分子催化剂、有机硫和有机硒多螺旋配体，以及嵌入聚苯胺/磷灰石薄膜中的量子点。X射线粉末衍射仪为研究人员提供了多种技术，如定性物相识别和定量物相分析、变温下的化学过程监测、薄膜分析，以及最重要的是，在无法使用单晶衍射时直接确定晶体结构。它对于研究含有无序或不能形成良好晶体的材料特别有用。新型粉末衍射仪将对课程设置和学生的培养产生影响。由于X射线粉末衍射是一种非常有吸引力的法医应用工具，它将加强法医设施，并加强法医化学学士学位的课程。该仪器将在联合学院和奥尔巴尼地区的其他四年制学院、几所专业学校和社区学院的研究和教学中使用。

With a Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award, the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York-Albany will acquire an X-ray powder diffractometer system. This will be used in research on a variety of systems including bismuth oxy-clusters, supramolecular assemblies with polyhedral cavities incorporating halogen atoms, carbon-rich open geodesic polyarenes, heterogeneous dirhodium catalysts, organosulfur and organoselenium polyspiro ligands, and quantum dots embedded within polyaniline/Laponite films. An X-ray powder diffractometer gives researchers access to a variety of techniques such as qualitative phase identification and quantitative phase analysis, chemical process monitoring under variable temperatures, thin film analysis, and most importantly, direct crystal structure determination when single crystal diffraction cannot be used. It is especially useful for the study of materials that contain disorder or do not form good crystals. The new powder diffraction instrumentation will impact the curriculum and the training of students. Since X-ray powder diffraction is a very attractive tool for forensic applications, it will bolster the forensic facility and strengthen the curriculum for a forensic chemistry B.S. degree. The instrument will be available for use in research and teaching at Union College and other four year colleges, several professional schools and community colleges in the Albany area.