MRI-R^2: Acquisition of powder X-ray diffraction instrument for faculty research and undergraduate education

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program Professor Christoph Geiss and colleagues Jonathan R. Gourley, Ralph O. Moyer, and Maria Parr from the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science at Trinity College will acquire a powder X-ray diffractometer which will be capable of providing good quality structural (Rietveld) analyses which can also be used as an analytical instrument for classroom use. The instrument will be used to support research activities such as: 1) characterization of iron-minerals in sediments and soil; 2) fault zone fluid migration pathways; 3) trace metal sediment concentrations in impaired watersheds; 4) synthesis, structure and characterization of ternary metal hydrides and hydrogen storage; 5) structure and characterization of Yb2RuH6(D6); 6) high pressure X-ray diffraction of A2RuH6 compounds; and 7) characterization of transition metal complexes and archaeological materials.An X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. A powder diffractometer allows diffraction studies in powdered crystalline materials. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including chemistry, materials chemistry, geology, archeology and the environment. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.