Chemistry Project Abstract
ANALYSIS OF X-RAY DIFFRACTION PATTERNS
Presenter:
Kyle B. Rader, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL, 60506; kyle@imsa.edu
Mentor:
Dr. Philip Nash, Illinois Institute of Technology, Thermal Processing Technology Center, 10 W. 32nd Street, Chicago, IL, 60616; 312-567-3056; nash@iit.edu
Abstract:
Alloys are materials comprised of more than one single metallic element and usually provide better physical or mechanical properties than pure elements. When an alloy is made, it usually forms a crystalline structure. One interesting phenomenon of these crystals is that when an x-ray is emitted to the crystal, it will reflect different intensities of the x-ray, depending on the atomic properties and angle between the crystal lattice and the x-ray. The intensity of the reflected x-ray not only depends on the incident x-ray beam angle, but also the composition of the crystal itself. In addition, the reflections can be plotted on a graph which shows the intensity of the reflected x-ray as well as corresponding angle between x-ray beam and lattice plane. My research compared the calculated x-ray diffraction patterns to experimental x-ray diffraction patterns quantitatively. Space groups and atom coordinates were inputted into computer software to generate x-ray diffraction patterns. After this, the experimental results such as peak positions and peak intensities were also obtained from preliminary patterns. I compiled the data into a spreadsheet and generated tables in order to present the information in a way that makes comparison between the experimental and simulated intensities possible.