The following sixteen reference patterns of boride, silicide, nitride and oxide ceramics represent the second group of reference patterns measured at the National Bureau of Standards under the project “High Quality Reference Patterns and Total Digital Powder Patterns of Technologically Important Ceramic Phases”. Included in the sixteen reference patterns are data for two high Tc superconducting oxide phases (CuSr0.2La1.8O4 and Ba2Cu3YO7) plus one related phase (BaCuY2O5). In addition to these new phases, five other patterns represent phases previously not contained in the PDF and eight represent major corrections to data in the file. The general methods of producing these X-ray powder diffraction reference patterns are described in this journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, pg. 40 (1986).

μPDSM, a powder diffraction search/match system, is derived from the original interactive time-sharing system written for the NIH/EPA Chemical Information System. Transformed and essentially rewritten, it still searches the entire JCPDS database, but on an inexpensive IBM PC microcomputer. In the transition from mainframe to micro, μPDSM has lost none of its speed or performance. Indeed, the basic discriminating power of the search/match algorithms had to be improved, since the Powder Diffraction File is some 50% larger than it was when The CIS version was in operation. While μPDSM will solve typical problems on a “push-button” mode, it provides an environment that promotes optimization of search parameters by the diffractionist, and provides all of the subfile and chemistry functions associated with larger systems.

The X-ray powder diffraction patterns for three bulk Zn1−xMgxSe crystals are reported. The data were obtained with the help of an automated Bragg–Brentano diffractometer using Ni-filtered Cu Kα radiation. One of the samples is of the sphalerite structure type, and it has the magnesium content slightly below the sphalerite–wurtzite phase transition. The two remaining ones are of the wurtzite type with low and high magnesium content. The lattice constant for the sphalerite Zn0.86Mg0.14Se is a0=5.7011(1) Å. For the wurtzite alloys the lattice constants are a0=4.0540(1) Å, c0=6.6270(2) Å (for Zn0.72Mg0.28Se), a0=4.1195(1) Å, c0=6.6941(2) Å (for Zn0.37Mg0.63Se).

Indexed X-ray powder diffraction data are reported for the homologous compound (ZnO)5(In1−xYx)2O3. The structures of (ZnO)5In2O3 and of (ZnO)5(In1−xYx)2O3 were refined by the Rietveld technique on the basis of the space group R3¯m. Refined unit cell dimensions are a=3.3285(1) Å, c=58.127(2) Å, V=557.71(3) Å3, Dx=6.11 g/cm3, Rwp=10.52, RB=8.56 for (ZnO)5In2O3, and a=3.3505(1) Å, c=57.863(1) Å, V=562.53(2) Å3, Dx=5.97 g/cm3, Rwp=9.05, RB=6.94 for (ZnO)5(In0.8Y0.2)2O3. The structure of (ZnO)5In2O3 was shown to be isostructural with (ZnO)5LuFeO3. Y3+ ions were determined to be arranged at the 3a-metal sites substituting for In3+ ions.

Samples of airborne particulate were collected at the “El Ingenio” site in Castellón (Spain) using a cascade impactor sampler. Quantitative analysis of present phases in the aerosol was performed using the full-pattern fitting Rietveld method. Quantitative information was obtained from refined individual scale factors and unit-cell volumes, obtained with a Rietveld refinement program. Quartz, calcite, and gypsum were encountered as major phases, and their size distribution and concentration in the atmosphere were calculated.

A special computer storage method for chemical structures is illustrated in this article. With an improved method of two-dimensional connection table and topology, we can fit almost all chemical structures and display them very conveniently. We have used this method in the PDF (X-Ray Powder Diffraction File) database, which contains many special structures.

Key words: database, computer application, chemical structure

A general expression for the method of QXRPD without standards is given in this paper to solve the problem of phase analysis on samples containing a non-crystalline component. Its application to some specific cases is discussed. The experiments have proved successful in the analysis of cement and sand-lime samples. The technique may also be applicable for the analysis of fly-ash, glass, ceramics, and metals. It is especially convenient in the study of kinetics and mechanism of reactions when the chemical composition of all samples does not change, because it is not necessary to know the mass absorption coefficient of samples. In the mathematical treatment of non-linear equations given in this paper, a method called linearized iteration procedure is first presented by the author.

Search/Match methods were used to identify probable errors in the characterization of certain ruthenate compounds. It is suggested that patterns proposed for incorporation into the JCPDS-ICDD powder diffraction database be validated as original by Search/Match procedures before they are accepted.

Substituting cations in materials with the formula Pb2B′B″O6 is more or less ordered on the B sites. High-quality single crystals of Pb2ScTaO6 (PST) and Pb(Sc0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PSN) were prepared from two thermal cycles. A stoichiometric mixture of the constituent oxides was prefired at up to 1000 °C, and then crystals were grown from a PbO–B2O3–PbF2 flux mixture, starting at a temperature of 1100 °C for PSN and 1200 °C for PST. At room temperature, X-ray examination showed that PSN had a perovskite structure with a cubic unit-cell and a refined parameter a = 4.080(1 ) Å, space group Pm3m and Z = 1, whereas PST formed a well-ordered superlattice with a = 8.136(1) Å, Z = 4 and space group Fm3m. In each case a fully indexed powder pattern is presented. The degree of order is estimated to be close to 80% for PST and less than 10% for PSN.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the compound Di-(1-phenylisopropyl)formamide, C19H23NO are reported. The crystals are monoclinic and the space group P21/c, with a = 10.764(2), b = 14.893(2), c = 10.862(2) Å, β= 108.49(1)°, Z = 4, Dx= 1.132, Dm= 1.120(2) gm/cm3.