The Chemistry Department at the University of South Dakota will acquire a powder X-ray diffractometer with this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program. The instrument will be used to investigate a range of research topics that include: 1) photocatalytic degradation of organics using mesoporous supports; 2) heterogeneous oxidation catalysis on metal oxide nanocrystals; 3) lanthanide-doped oxide and fluoride nanocrystals, as up-conversion devices; 4) novel carbonaceous catalysts for alkylation; 5) luminescence in lanthanum fluoride containing nanoparticles.
Powder X-ray diffraction has become an indispensable tool for the characterization of solid state materials. It is routinely used for materials investigation, characterization and quality control. The specific applications of powder X-ray diffraction include structure determination and refinement, qualitative and quantitative phase analysis, texture and stress investigation, and crystallite size determination. The instrument will be used by undergraduate and graduate students in their research and course work, providing them with training in this basic technique.
