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In this paper EXAFS was used to determine bond lengths in the structures of zeunerite and meta-zeunerite. The atomic distances between heavy and light scatterers observed using EXAFS in meta-zeunerite deviate approximately 0.1 Å from literature data of single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. Because this difference is significant higher than the error limits of EXAFS measurements, the complete crystal structure of meta-zeunerite, Cu[UO2AsO4]2·8 H2O, is revised by X-ray structure analysis. The bond length determinations by EXAFS and the revised XRD data agree within the experimental error limits. In this study EXAFS spectroscopy has proven to be an useful tool for determining precise local bond lengths in the environment of heavy atoms. Moreover, the crystal structure of zeunerite, Cu[UO2AsO4]2·12 H2O, hitherto not been described in the literature, was investigated. Reflex broadening effects and intergrowth relationship between zeunerite and meta-zeunerite show that meta-zeunerite grows in nature due to dehydration of zeunerite. The structural transition from zeunerite to meta-zeunerite is connected with a change in the uranyl arsenate layer arrangement and the crystal water content.
In our laboratory more than 100,000 urinary calculi have been analysed since 1972. Amongst this huge sample, 15 specimens originating from a total of eight patients were observed showing similar characteristics but escaping unambiguous identification with any of the substances that have been described so far in urinary concrements. Therefore, the unknown substance was submitted to a more extended analytical regimen. Structural analysis by x-ray crystallography turned out to be most successful, identifying the unknown material as uric acid monohydrate. Uric acid monohydrate crystallizes in the monocline space group P21/c. Within the crystal, uric acid and water molecules form continuous layers by hydrogen bonds. This is in contrast to uric acid in its water free and its dihydrate forms, which both crystallize by forming 3-dimensional networks To the best of our knowledge , the existence of a monohydrate form of uric acid has not been reported so far. Accordingly, this is the first report on uric acid monohydrate as a urinary stone component. The frequency of only 0.015% in our survey indicates that uric acid monohydrate is rarely the main component in concrements, in contrast to uric acid and uric acid dihydrate with frequencies of 10% and 6%, respectively. The infrared spectrum of uric acid monohydrate is very similar to that of the other crystal forms of uric acid. Because of this similarity and its low frequency, uric acid monohydrate may have been overlooked as a component of urinary concrements. X-ray diffraction allows for better differentiation in routine stone analysis. All samples of uric acid monohydrate were found by solid state NMR spectroscopy to be highly contaminated by amorphous material. This material consisted of long aliphatic chains reminiscent of lipids and fatty acids, respectively. Concrements consisting of other forms of uric acid or urate lacked this amorphous component. Therefore, a role of this aliphatic material has to be taken into consideration when discussing the conditions that may favour the rare formation of concrements from uric acid monohydrate. As for as the metabolic situation of the affected patients is concerned, no common peculiarities became evident by a retrospective survey.
We present a new high resolution X-ray imager based on a pnCCD detector and a polycapillary optics. The properties of the pnCCD like high quantum efficiency, high energy resolution and radiation hardness are maintained, while color corrected polycapillary lenses are used to direct the fluorescence photons from every spot on a sample to a corresponding pixel on the detector. The camera is sensitive to photons from 3 to 40 keV with still 30% quantum efficiency at 20 keV. The pnCCD is operated in split frame mode allowing a high frame rate of 400 Hz with an energy resolution of 152 eV for Mn Kα (5.9 keV) at 450 kcps. In single-photon counting mode (SPC), the time, energy and position of every fluorescence photon is recorded for every frame. A dedicated software enables the visualization of the elements distribution in real time without the need of post-processing the data. A description of the key components including detector, X-ray optics and camera is given. First experiments show the capability of the camera to perform fast full-field X-Ray Fluorescence (FF-XRF) for element analysis. The imaging performance with a magnifying optics (3×) has also been successfully tested.
We report on a new series of isoreticular frameworks based on zinc and 2-substituted imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate (IFP-1–4, IFP=imidazolate framework Potsdam) that form one-dimensional, microporous hexagonal channels. Varying R in the 2-substitued linker (R=Me (IFP-1), Cl (IFP-2), Br (IFP-3), Et (IFP-4)) allowed the channel diameter (4.0–1.7 Å), the polarisability and functionality of the channel walls to be tuned. Frameworks IFP-2, IFP-3 and IFP-4 are isostructural to previously reported IFP-1. The structures of IFP-2 and IFP-3 were solved by X-ray crystallographic analyses. The structure of IFP-4 was determined by a combination of PXRD and structure modelling and was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and 1H MAS and 13C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy. All IFPs showed high thermal stability (345–400°C); IFP-1 and IFP-4 were stable in boiling water for 7 d. A detailed porosity analysis was performed on the basis of adsorption measurements by using various gases. The potential of the materials to undergo specific interactions with CO2 was investigated by measuring the isosteric heats of adsorption. The capacity to adsorb CH4 (at 298 K), CO2 (at 298 K) and H2 (at 77 K) at high pressure were also investigated. In situ IR spectroscopy showed that CO2 is physisorbed on IFP-1–4 under dry conditions and that both CO2 and H2O are physisorbed on IFP-1 under moist conditions.
Problems associated with the measurement of photoluminescence are briefly reviewed, including relevant instrument parameters affecting these measurements. Procedures for the characterization of relevant instruments are discussed, focusing on spectrofluorometers, and fit-for-purpose methods including suitable standards are recommended. The aim here is to increase the awareness of the importance of reliable instrument characterization and to improve the comparability of measurements of photoluminescence.
Determination of structures using x-ray powder diffraction is complicated if the reflection intensities are mainly influenced by the scattering from heavy atoms and the atomic coordinates of light atoms remain uncertain. A method like EXAFS, which is sensitive to short range order, gives reliable atomic distances in the surroundings of heavy atoms with a precision of ±0.02 Å. The probability for obtaining the complete structure from x-ray powder diffraction increases if one includes parameters derived from EXAFS measurements as restraints during the procedure of structure solving. We demonstrate the potential of combining EXAFS and x-ray powder diffraction by solving the structure UO2[H2AsO4]2H2O. The procedure starts with the determination of space group and cell parameters from XRD powder data. In a second step the absolute values of the structure factor |F| are separated by iterating a decomposition formula. The heavy atom positions are determined by direct methods. In the third step atomic distances of coordination polyhedra are estimated using EXAFS. Subsequently, the complete coordination geometries around the heavy atoms including reliable distances are used as restraints in the structure solving and refinement procedure.
A study regarding the possibility to use compound refractive lenses (CRLs) for X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was conducted. For XAS measurements the energy of the monochromatic incident beam has to be tuned over an energy range which is broader than the energy bandwidth of a CRL. To prove that µ-XAS with compound refractive lenses is possible, it had to be investigated how changes in the energy influence the beam parameters. This was done by tuning the energy around the nominal energy of the lens and recording images with a high resolution X-ray imaging setup. To investigate the changes in the spot size the scintillator was placed at the nominal focal distance and scans along the beam axis were performed. The effect on the photon flux of the incident beam due to absorption in the lens was investigated by performing XANES measurement on different reference materials with and without CRL. The results of these measurements using a CRL designed for 9 keV are shown and discussed.
We report on the trace analysis of copper and iron impurities in multicrystalline silicon wafers with the microbeam X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) technique. The efficiency of solar cells, which are based on multicrystalline silicon wafers, is strongly influenced by minor contamination with metals such as copper and iron. Application of compound refractive lenses (CRLs) in µ-XRF allows versatile two-dimensional mapping of relevant contaminations and localization of their sites of deposition. In this context, the measured bulk average limit of detection (LOD) was one picogram of iron and copper per gram of silicon. We suggest that µ-XRF is a valuable tool for non-destructive spatial (3D) quantification of metal impurities in a wide range of materials and devices whose functioning could be critically affected by impurities.
Absorption effects in total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis are important to consider, especially if external calibration is to be applied. With a color X-ray camera (CXC), that enables spatially and energy resolved XRF analysis, the absorption of the primary beam was directly visualized for mL-droplets and an array of pL-droplets printed on a Si-wafer with drop-on-demand technology. As expected, deposits that are hit by the primary beam first shade subsequent droplets, leading to a diminished XRF signal. This shading effect was quantified with enhanced precision making use of sub-pixel analysis that improves the spatial resolution of the camera. The measured absorption was compared to simulated results using three different model calculations. It was found they match very well (average deviation < 10%). Thus errors in quantification due to absorption effects can be accounted for in a more accurate manner.