Philips X'Pert X-ray Diffractometer

 

Name of the research unit managing the infrastructure element/Responsible person/Contact details

CCHAPT - Center for Research in Hydraulics, Automation and Thermal Processes

Director: Univ. Prof. Dr. Eng. Doina Frunzăverde

Tel.: (0730) 583 007

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Infrastructure element location

CCHAPT – Building A, ground floor

www.cchapt.ro

Features and performance

The Philips X'Pert X-ray diffractometer is a device that allows, through the use of X-ray diffraction:

  • Determination of the nature of existing phases in polycrystalline powders and solid crystalline materials (metals and their alloys);
  • determination of internal stresses in crystalline solid materials;
  • determination of the crystalline texture (preferential orientation of crystalline grains).

Characteristics:

  • Diffractometer cabinet with full radiation protection (maximum dose of 1 microsievert/hour, measured 10 cm from any external surface of the diffractometer) in which the components of the basic configuration are installed and in which other modules of the diffractometer necessary for expansion can be installed field of use for future applications.
  • Power generator for powering the X-ray tube with a power of 3 kW, voltage 60 kV, current 60 mA, controlled by software so as to respect the isowatt curve of the polarization of the tube.
  • Vertical goniometer with Theta/Theta operating mode driven by direct current motors and with independent direct reading of the position of the two arms; the reading of the position is independent of the eventual wear of the mechanical drive system of the goniometer arms, ensuring high reproducibility and precision in positioning:
  • Reproducibility: ±0.0001°
  • Minimum pitch: 0.001° theta and 2theta
  • 2theta range: at least 250°, with the possibility of positioning at negative angles as well
  • Theta range: at least 190°, with the possibility of positioning at negative angles as well
  • X-ray tube with high performance Cu anode, with ceramic insulation, with the possibility of fine line focusing or point focusing, minimum power 2 kW. Changing the working focus is done without disconnecting the high voltage cable or water cooling.
  • X-ray tube with high-performance ceramic-insulated Mo anode, with the possibility of fine line focusing or spot focusing, minimum power 2.8 kW. Changing the working focus must be done without disconnecting the high voltage cable or water cooling.
  • Programmable sample support with the possibility of working in reflection and in transmission (motorized switching), with programmed rotation at various speeds of the sample and which includes the related sample loading capsules.
  • Open Eulerian Cradle programmable sample holder for sample texture analysis.
  • Incident and emergent beam optics components for maximum performance at both low and wide angles, with programmable slits for both incident and emergent radiation.
  • NaI scintillation radiation detector.
  • Filters to eliminate Cu K-beta and Mo K-beta radiation.
  • All hardware modules of the diffractometer (X-ray tube, incident optics, sample supports, output optics, detector) must be pre-aligned at the factory, and switching from one working configuration to another (phases, stress, texture) it is done by the operator in a maximum of 10 minutes, without the need for any additional alignment of the diffractometer.
  • PC system (computer, monitor, printer) for controlling the acquisition process, data storage and processing, as well as for monitoring the status and command of the diffractometer.
  • Software package under Windows for controlling and monitoring the working configuration of the diffractometer and for the acquisition, conversion and visualization of data installed on the system computer and tested together with the diffractometer.
  • Software package under Windows for diffractogram processing (elimination of Kα2 contribution, correction of systematic errors, automatic/fixed slit conversion, comparison, background determination, deconvolution of peaks, etc.) automatic phase identification using the ICDD database as a reference.
  • Software package under Windows for semi-quantitative and quantitative phase analysis
  • ICDD PDF2 database.
  • Software package for uniaxial and biaxial stress analysis, with methods for determining the position of peaks, database of elastic constants for materials and residual misalignment correction algorithms.
  • Software package for quantitative texture analysis with calculation of orientation distribution functions (ODF), their representation in 2D and 3D, pole figures and inverted pole figures.
  • All software packages are licensed and shipped with the re-installation CDs.
  • Water cooling system, in a closed circuit, for the X-ray tube.

Access

The qualified personnel of CCHAPT can perform, upon request, determinations of phases, surface internal tensions and/or crystalline texture, both for UBB employees and for third parties, based on prior appointment (by phone or e-mail) at:

Lecturer Dr. Eng. Costel-Relu Ciubotariu

Phone: (0722) 367 358

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

              office@cchapt.ro

The charged rates take into account the material and personnel expenses related to the requested determinations.

Hours of operation

 

From Monday to Friday, between 8:00 and 16:00, excluding holidays

Areas of use

The X-ray diffractometer is a complex equipment, indispensable for any modern laboratory investigating the structure of materials. It allows the determination of the lattice parameter of the phases existing in the crystalline materials and thereby:

  • determining the phase constitution;
  • determination of internal tensions;
  • determining the crystalline texture (preferential orientation of crystalline grains).

The device works on the principle of diffraction of X-rays by the crystal planes of materials and can be used both for the analysis of polycrystalline powders and solid crystalline materials (metals and their alloys).

The Philips X'Pert type X-ray diffractometer is a research equipment, which can be used in research aimed at the development of coatings resistant to wear and corrosion (wet and in hot gases), the analysis of the influence of internal surface stresses on the operational behavior of metallic materials, the influence of the crystalline texture on the magnetic characteristics of the materials.

Involvement of the equipment in teaching activities

The metallographic optical microscope is used to support:

  • laboratory activities carried out with students for the disciplines:
    • Materials science and engineering I – Year I, IM, Bachelor;
    • Selection and characterization of materials – First year, CTSM, Master's degree;
  • activities for the completion of studies at the undergraduate and master's cycles;
  • doctoral research activities.

Specialist personnel (name and status of operator)

Lecturer Dr. Eng. Costel-Relu Ciubotariu

Phone: (0722) 367 358

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

              office@cchapt.ro