Röntgendiffractieanalyse

Röntgendiffractieanalyse, often abbreviated as XRD, is a powerful analytical technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystalline material. It works by directing a beam of X-rays at a sample and observing the pattern of diffracted rays. Crystals have a regular, repeating arrangement of atoms, and these planes of atoms act like a diffraction grating for X-rays. According to Bragg's Law, constructive interference occurs when the angle of incidence of the X-rays equals the angle of diffraction, and the path difference between the rays scattered from adjacent atomic planes is an integer multiple of the X-ray wavelength. The resulting diffraction pattern, consisting of specific angles and intensities of diffracted beams, is unique to each crystalline material. By analyzing this pattern, researchers can identify the crystalline phases present, determine lattice parameters, measure crystallite size, and assess preferred orientation. XRD is widely applied in fields such as materials science, chemistry, geology, and pharmaceuticals for quality control, phase identification, and structural characterization. It is a non-destructive technique that requires relatively small sample sizes.