X-ray diffraction analysis - study of the structure of substances

X-ray diffraction analysis is a method for studying the structural structure of substances. It is based on X-ray diffraction on special crystalline three-dimensional lattices. The study uses waves whose length is approximately 1A, which corresponds to the size of the atom. It must be said that X-ray diffraction analysis, together with neutron and electron diffraction, refers to diffraction methods for determining the structure of the substance under study.

It helps to study the atomic structure, the spatial groups of a unit cell, its size and shape, and also the crystal symmetry group. With the help of this technique, metals and their various alloys, organic and inorganic compounds, minerals, amorphous materials, liquids, and gases are studied. In some cases, X-ray diffraction analysis of proteins, nucleic acids and other substances is used.

This analysis helps to establish the atomic structure of crystalline materials, which have a well-defined structure and are a natural diffraction grating for x-rays. It is worth noting that in the study of other substances, X-ray analysis requires the presence of crystals, which is an important but rather difficult task.

X -ray diffraction was discovered by Laue, the theoretical foundations developed by Wulf and Bragg. Debye and Scherrer suggested using the observed regularities in the role of analysis. It should be noted that at present, X-ray diffraction analysis remains one of the most common methods for determining the structure of substances, since it is simple in execution and does not require significant material costs.

It allows you to explore different classes of substances, and the value of the information obtained causes the introduction of all new techniques. So, at first they began to study the structure of matter using the function of interatomic vectors, later direct methods for determining the crystal structure were developed. It should be noted that the first substances that were studied with X-rays were sodium and potassium chlorides.

The study of the spatial structure of proteins began in the 30s of the last century in the UK. The obtained data gave rise to molecular biology, which made it possible to reveal important physicochemical properties of proteins, and also to create the first DNA model.

Since the fifties, computer methods of assembling information that was obtained with X-ray structural analysis have started to develop actively.

To date, synchrotrons are being used. They are monochrome sources of X-ray radiation, which are used to irradiate crystals. The most effective instruments are in the multiwave anomalous dispersion method. It should be noted that they are used only in state scientific centers. The laboratories use a less powerful technique, which serves only to check the quality of the crystals, and also to obtain a rough analysis of substances.