MRI-R2: Acquisition of an X-ray Powder Diffractometer

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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 Sarah L. Stoll and colleagues from the Department of Chemistry at Georgetown University will acquire a powder X-ray diffractometer for the characterization of materials and nanostructured materials. The instrument will be used to support research activities such as: 1) study of lanthanide chalcogenides for use in magnetic conductors; 2) analysis of clay minerals in soil samples; 3) coordination polymers and framework materials; 4) template directed crystal growth; 5) shape and size controlled Pt based bimetallic nanoparticles for fuel cell applications; 6) charge transfer nanocrystals; and 7) self assembled fibrillar networks.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 data provide information on particle sizes, phase identification and purity analysis. The studies described here will impact a number of areas, including chemistry and materials chemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.