X-Ray Diffractometry Applications for Geological Engineering and Geology Undergraduates

地质学和其他经常处理细粒地球材料的工程师很少接受过鉴定构成这些材料的矿物所需的X射线衍射仪技术的培训。通常情况下，只有在材料发生破坏后，才会使用衍射法，也就是请专家来确定破坏的原因。在这个项目中，地质工程和科学系正在安装一台现代化的X射线衍射仪，并开发一系列实验室模块，这些模块将涵盖对实习工程师最有用的衍射仪应用。这些模块包括：基本矿物鉴定方法、定量衍射技术、粒度分析，特别是准确表征粘土矿物所需的专门衍射仪程序，粘土矿物是一种在工程上主要使用的矿物组。目标是培养能够决定何时需要应用X射线衍射仪技术、如何准备有代表性的分析、在哪里进行分析以及如何以有意义的方式解释结果的毕业生。这种教育方法是从史密斯大学、卡尔顿大学、中央华盛顿大学、印第安纳大学和普渡大学的地质系改编而来的。长期目标是让其他专业工程师意识到衍射法在解决实际工程问题中的用处，从而使这种方法比现在得到更广泛的应用。为地质学和地球科学教育专业设计的附加模块将涵盖各种主题，目的是为这些学生在教学和研究中应用衍射法做好准备。与A.E.希曼矿物博物馆合作，将在博物馆提供的夏季野外矿物学课程中，展示X射线衍射术在矿物学中的应用，作为向K-12教师和普通公众介绍现代科学技术的一种手段。

Geological and other engineers who routinely work with fine grained Earth materials are rarely trained in the X-ray diffractometry techniques needed to identify the minerals that make up those materials. Diffractometry is not normally applied until after material failure has ocurred, when specialists are brought in to determine the cause of failure. In this project, the Department of Geological Engineering and Sciences is installing a modern X-ray diffractometer and developing a series of laboratory modules that will cover diffractometry applications that are of most use to practicing engineers. These modules include: basic mineral identification methods, quantitative diffraction techniues, particle size analysis, and especially the specialized diffractometry procedures needed to accurately characterize the clay menerals, a mineral group that is of major use in engineering. The objective is to produce graduates that will be able to decide when X-ray diffractometry techniques need to be applied, how to prepare representative analyses, where the analyses can be carried out, and how to interpret the results in a meaningful way. This educational approach is adapted from the geology departments at Smith, Carleton, Central Washington, Indiana, and Purdue Universities. The long term objective is to make other professional engineers aware of the usefulness of diffractometry in solving real engineering problems, so that the method becomes much more generally applied than at present.Additional modules, designed for Geology and Earth Science Education majors, will cover a variety of topics with the objective of preparing these students to utilize diffractometry in teaching and research. In conjunction with the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum, X-ray diffractometry applications in mineralogy will be demonstrated as a means of introducing modern scientific technology to K-12 teachers and members of the general public, in a summer field mineralogy class offered at the museum.