X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory
X-ray crystal structure determination is an important technique for most inorganic and organic chemists. The X-ray Diffraction Laboratory at UM-St. Louis supports the research programs of several research groups in the department. Also, we collaborate with a number of groups elsewhere in the USA and in other countries in their solid-state structure determination research. The Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and computational facilities for solid state three dimensional crystal and molecular structure determinations. The facility is located in custom-designed laboratory space in the Center for Nanoscience, opened in November 1996, and currently houses single crystal and powder diffractometers.
For more information please contact Dr. Nigam Rath at (314) 516-5333 or rathn@umsl.edu.
Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Instrumentation
Bruker SMART CCD (Charge Coupled Device)
This area detector system was one of the first to be installed in the United States (1995) for use in small molecule crystallography. The Bruker-LT3 nitrogen gas flow low temperature device permits data collection at temperatures in the range of 120-240K. Currently, this instrument is primarily used for diffraction studies of organic compounds (Cu Source) and for teaching and training of students and Post-doctoral researchers.
Bruker APEX II Kappa Diffractometer
Equipped with an Oxford Cryostream low temperature device. Fast data collection can be carried out using this Kappa geometry diffractometer equipped with a 4K CCD chip at 110-330K. Currently most of the structure determinations are carried out using this system.
Computer Facilities and Other Instrumentation
The X-ray Laboratory Computing Facility has several Linux/Unix workstations and PC's running crystallographic software. All computers in the lab are integrated with the university computer network. The Cambridge Structural Database is accessible to all university computer system users and is hosted through a Sun server and installed on all PC's.
The preparation laboratory is equipped with stereo microscopes for screening and mounting crystals; fume hood, refrigerator and freezer for crystallization and sample storage together with other necessary facilities for crystallization and crystal handling.
Rigaku Ultima IV X-ray Diffraction and Small Angle X-ray
Fully integrated within the automated diffraction system and is compatible with the full range of X-ray sources and the Ultimate IV goniometer configurations (Focusing and Parallel Beam Geometries with Cross Beam Optics). The CBO technology, automatic alignment, and a flexible modular design combine to provide simple, fast reconfiguration of diverse applications, including (i) powder diffraction: phase identification, quantitative analysis, percent crystallinity, crystallite size/strain analysis, precise lattice parameter determination, and rietveld refinement; (ii) stress and texture: stress determination, conventional pole figures and in-plane, inverse, as well as transmission pole figures; (iii) small angle X-ray scattering: macromolecular structure and orientation in polymetric materials, particle size distribution of nanoparticles suspended in solution, particle/pole size distributions in deposited or bulk solid nanomaterials, and molecular morphology and orientation in nanocomposites; (iv) thin film analysis: phase identification, orientation/texture, crystal perfection, and thickness and density, as well as interface roughness; (v) high temperature attachment: an automated variable temperature stage for in situ X-ray diffraction measurements of materials at elevated temperatures.
For more information on the Rigaku Ultimate IV X-ray Diffraction and Small Angle X-ray please contact Dr. Dan Zhou at 314/516-4627 or at zhouda@umsl.edu