This award will provide one-half of the funds needed to acquire an X-ray diffraction spectrometer system for installation and operation by the Department of Geology at the State University of New York in Buffalo. The University is committed to providing the other half of the funds required. X-ray diffraction is a fundamental technique for the study of the molecular structure and the properties of solid, crystalline materials. The instrument will be primarily used for research on the defect structures of clay minerals, especially kaolinites, which have commercial as well as geological value. The new equipment will also be made available to qualified researchers in the departments of Chemistry and Engineering.
