Identification of Crystalline Materials: Classification and Use of X-Ray Diffraction Patterns

Abstract

In the course of the past few years, X-ray and spectroscopic methods of analysis have found an increasing usefulness at the Dow Chemical Company. There are a large number of different types of problems on which information can be obtained by the variations of apparatus and technic which are possible in these two fields. It is not the purpose of this paper, however, to discuss these methods or applications in general, but to describe in some detail a scheme of classifying and using X-ray diffraction patterns which has been found very helpful in one particular application of X-rays — namely, that of identifying unknown substances by means of their Hull powder diffraction patterns.The inherent power of X-ray diffraction as a practical means of chemical analysis was pointed out a good many years ago. Having a different theoretical basis and depending upon an entirely different technic than other methods, it would be expected to supplement the information to be obtained from other methods and, at times, to be applicable where other methods are not suitable. It appears, however, that the use of this method has not increased at a rate commensurate with its unique and valuable features, and that it is used by relatively few academic and industrial laboratories.