XMAS: A Versatile Tool for Analyzing Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction Data

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is new becoming a tool in research and. industry. Semiconductor detectors are proving valuable in measuring fluorescent X rays, and so are providing a versatile tool for rapid multielement analysis of many types of samples. This paper will mainly be concerned with, different types of copper ore. An experimental setup has been designed to determine Cu, Fe and Pb of concentration ranging from 0.1 to 20, to 5, and to 4 percent, respectively, with analytical precision of 20% relative at 0.1% Cu, and 3% relative at 20% Cu. For excitation a 100 mCi Pu-238 source and/or a low power air-cooled X-ray tube were used. Data acquisition and “on-line” evaluation for each sample takes about 100 seconds. Electronics blocks and sub-systems used In the set-up are available commercially. The most important benefit to be obtained from the setup is the ability to provide precise, reproducible determinations of large numbers of samples day after day.

Download Full-text

High-Energy Small- and Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering: A Versatile Tool for Materials Analysis

X-Rays in Mechanical Engineering Applications ◽

10.1115/imece2004-62458 ◽

2004 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan Almer

Keyword(s):

High Energy ◽

Real Space ◽

Wide Angle ◽

X Ray ◽

Study Materials ◽

X Ray Scattering ◽

Angle Scattering ◽

Wide Range ◽

Versatile Tool ◽

Ray Scattering

Acquisition of microstructural information during realistic service conditions is an ongoing need for fundamental materials insight and computational input. In addition, for engineering applications it is often important to be able to study materials over a wide range of penetration depths, from the surface to bulk. In this presentation we discuss developments at the Sector 1-ID beamline of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to utilize high-energy x-ray scattering for such studies. The use of high-energies (~80 keV) provides a highly penetrating probe, with sampling depths up to several mm in most materials. Through the development and use of high-energy optics, we can perform both small- and wide-angle scattering (SAXS/WAXS), to probe a large range of sample dimensions in reciprocal space (ranging from Angstroms to hundreds of nanometers), with real space resolutions ranging from microns to mm.

Download Full-text

Calculating absorption dose when X-ray irradiation modifies material quantity and chemistry

Journal of Synchrotron Radiation ◽

10.1107/s1600577521001703 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Viatcheslav Berejnov ◽

Boris Rubinstein ◽

Lis G. A. Melo ◽

Adam P. Hitchcock

Keyword(s):

Chemical Speciation ◽

New Approach ◽

X Ray ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

Versatile Tool ◽

Solid Film ◽

Simplifying Assumptions ◽

High Doses ◽

Sensitive Parameters ◽

X Ray Absorption

X-ray absorption is a sensitive and versatile tool for chemical speciation. However, when high doses are used, the absorbed energy can change the composition, amount and structure of the native material, thereby changing the aspects of the absorption process on which speciation is based. How can one calculate the dose when X-ray irradiation affects the chemistry and changes the amount of the material? This paper presents an assumption-free approach which can retrieve from the experimental data all dose-sensitive parameters – absorption coefficients, composition (elemental molecular units), material densities – which can then be used to calculate accurate doses as a function of irradiation. This approach is illustrated using X-ray damage to a solid film of a perfluorosulfonic acid fluoropolymer in a scanning transmission soft X-ray microscope. This new approach is compared against existing dose models which calculate the dose by making simplifying assumptions regarding the material quantity, density and chemistry. While the detailed measurements used in this approach go beyond typical methods to experimental analytical X-ray absorption, they provide a more accurate quantitation of radiation dose, and help to understand mechanisms of radiation damage.

Download Full-text

ZnO nucleation into trititanate nanotubes by ALD equipment techniques, a new way to functionalize layered metal oxides

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86722-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mabel Moreno ◽

Miryam Arredondo ◽

Quentin M. Ramasse ◽

Matthew McLaren ◽

Philine Stötzner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vapor Phase ◽

Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽

Atomic Layer ◽

Film Coating ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

X Ray ◽

Layer Deposition ◽

Versatile Tool ◽

Ir Study ◽

Single Wall Nanotubes

AbstractIn this contribution, we explore the potential of atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques for developing new semiconductor metal oxide composites. Specifically, we investigate the functionalization of multi-wall trititanate nanotubes, H2Ti3O7 NTs (sample T1) with zinc oxide employing two different ALD approaches: vapor phase metalation (VPM) using diethylzinc (Zn(C2H5)2, DEZ) as a unique ALD precursor, and multiple pulsed vapor phase infiltration (MPI) using DEZ and water as precursors. We obtained two different types of tubular H2Ti3O7 species containing ZnO in their structures. Multi-wall trititanate nanotubes with ZnO intercalated inside the tube wall sheets were the main products from the VPM infiltration (sample T2). On the other hand, MPI (sample T3) principally leads to single-wall nanotubes with a ZnO hierarchical bi-modal functionalization, thin film coating, and surface decorated with ZnO particles. The products were mainly characterized by electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An initial evaluation of the optical characteristics of the products demonstrated that they behaved as semiconductors. The IR study revealed the role of water, endogenous and/or exogenous, in determining the structure and properties of the products. The results confirm that ALD is a versatile tool, promising for developing tailor-made semiconductor materials.

Download Full-text

A beginner's guide to solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)

The Biochemist ◽

10.1042/bio04201036 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 36-42

Author(s):

Melissa Gräwert ◽

Dmitri Svergun

Keyword(s):

Small Angle ◽

Biochemical Study ◽

Biological Macromolecules ◽

X Ray ◽

X Ray Scattering ◽

Versatile Tool ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Key Techniques ◽

Structural Methods ◽

Ray Scattering

The Beginner's Guide series covers key techniques and offers the scientifically literate but not necessarily expert audience a background briefing on the underlying science of a technique that is (or will be) widely used in molecular bioscience. The series covers a mixture of techniques, including some that are well established amongst a subset of our readership but not necessarily familiar to those in different specialisms. This Beginner's Guide introduces solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a powerful technique, which is complementary to different bioanalytical and structural methods. With straightforward data collection procedures and minimal restrictions in sample environment, information on size, shape and conformational flexibility of biological macromolecules and complexes in near native solutions can be rapidly obtained. Here, we highlight the recent developments that have advanced SAXS to a versatile tool with the capability to enrich almost any biochemical study.

Download Full-text

Cooperative Allostery and Structural Dynamics of Streptavidin at Cryogenic- and Ambient-temperature

10.1101/2021.09.23.461567 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Esra Ayan ◽

Busra Yuksel ◽

Ebru Destan ◽

Fatma Betul Ertem ◽

Gunseli Yildirim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ambient Temperature ◽

Structural Dynamics ◽

Protein Complexes ◽

Interaction Network ◽

Structural Data ◽

Water Molecules ◽

Protein Assemblies ◽

X Ray ◽

Versatile Tool ◽

Multimeric Protein

Multimeric protein assemblies are abundant in nature. Streptavidin is an attractive protein that provides a paradigm system to investigate the intra- and intermolecular interactions of multimeric protein complexes. Also, it offers a versatile tool for biotechnological applications. Here, we present two apo-streptavidin structures, the first one is an ambient temperature Serial Femtosecond X-ray crystal (Apo-SFX) structure at 1.7 Å resolution and the second one is a cryogenic crystal structure (Apo-Cryo) at 1.1 Å resolution. These structures are mostly in agreement with previous structural data. Combined with computational analysis, these structures provide invaluable information about structural dynamics of apo streptavidin. Collectively, these data further reveal a novel cooperative allostery of streptavidin which binds to substrate via water molecules that provide a polar interaction network and mimics the substrate biotin which displays one of the strongest affinities found in nature.

Download Full-text

2′-Azido RNA, a Versatile Tool for Chemical Biology: Synthesis, X-ray Structure, siRNA Applications, Click Labeling

ACS Chemical Biology ◽

10.1021/cb200510k ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 581-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Katja Fauster ◽

Markus Hartl ◽

Tobias Santner ◽

Michaela Aigner ◽

Christoph Kreutz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Biology ◽

X Ray ◽

Versatile Tool

Download Full-text

Stoichiometry Calculation in BaxSr1−xTiO3 Solid Solution Thin Films, Prepared by RF Cosputtering, Using X-Ray Diffraction Peak Positions and Boltzmann Sigmoidal Modelling

Journal of Nanomaterials ◽

10.1155/2017/4308294 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Reséndiz-Muñoz ◽

J. L. Fernández-Muñoz ◽

M. A. Corona-Rivera ◽

M. Zapata-Torres ◽

A. Márquez-Herrera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solid Solution ◽

Boltzmann Equation ◽

Film Deposition ◽

Scale Transformation ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

X Ray ◽

The Boltzmann Equation ◽

Control Film ◽

Versatile Tool

A novel procedure based on the use of the Boltzmann equation to model the x parameter, the film deposition rate, and the optical band gap of BaxSr1−xTiO3 thin films is proposed. The BaxSr1−xTiO3 films were prepared by RF cosputtering from BaTiO3 and SrTiO3 targets changing the power applied to each magnetron to obtain different Ba/Sr contents. The method to calculate x consisted of fitting the angular shift of (110), (111), and (211) diffraction peaks observed as the density of substitutional Ba2+ increases in the solid solution when the applied RF power increases, followed by a scale transformation from applied power to x parameter using the Boltzmann equation. The Ba/Sr ratio was obtained from X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy; the comparison with the X-ray diffraction derived composition shows a remarkable coincidence while the discrepancies offer a valuable diagnosis on the sputtering flux and phase composition. The proposed method allows a quick setup of the RF cosputtering system to control film composition providing a versatile tool to optimization of the process.

Download Full-text