x-ray diffraction
X-ray diffraction could determine the crystalline structure, composition, and phase identification of various materials. The working principle of this technique rests on the incident beam's X-ray irradiation toward the material, giving rise to the diffraction of these waves in certain patterns that reveal the arrangement of atoms in the material.
Key Features:
- Operation: Bragg's Law is followed for the analysis in which X-rays are incident on lattice planes of a crystal specimen that generate a diffraction pattern. Different materials give different patterns of diffraction that can therefore very meaningfully identify the material.
- Properties Measured: Crystal structure, phase composition, grain size, and residual stress of metals and ceramics. Studies defects, impurities, and others regarding phase transformations of materials.
- Main Applications: Essentially used in metallurgy, studies in material science, geology, and research into semiconductors. Involved in quality control, failure analysis, and development of new alloys and coatings.
X-ray diffraction itself becomes a mighty weapon for accessing atomic or molecular structure of materials without destroying the samples. It majors in research, manufacturing of product and characterization of materials, and will therefore continue to evolve in metallurgy and material engineering.