The objective of this Laboratory is X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) structural analysis, which is actually identification and examination of the crystal substances. X-ray diffraction provides an answer to the questions which crystalline phases are present in the polycrystalline sample and provides a detailed analysis of the structure of the material. From XRPD analysis it is possible to get information about interatomic distances, angles between atomic bonds and the exact position of the atoms. In addition, it also provides information about microstructure of the material: crystallite size and microstructural stresses. Also, this Laboratory is equipped with device which investigates the crystal structure of materials at small angles, the so-called: X-ray diffraction at small angles (SAXS). According to this method the elastically diffracted X-rays from the sample containing the structural inhomogeneity in the nanometer range, are recorded in the very low angles (usually from 0.1 to 10 ° 2θ). This angular range contains information about the shape and size of macromolecules, the characteristic interstitial spaces (distances) between sequences with partially ordered structure and the information about the size of pores. SAXS is used to determine the structure of the system in which the particle size is in the nanometer range. In this sense, it is possible to determine the average particle size, shape and distribution. Moreover, information about the presence of pores, their shape and distribution, as well as the ratio of the surface area to the volume can be obtained. Samples for SAXS analysis can be in solid or liquid form and they can be composed of a variety of solid, liquid or gaseous inclusions (domains) with the same or different composition. SAXS analysis method is widely used in material science, which includes examination of nanomaterials, all types of colloids, metal, cement, oil, polymers, plastics, proteins, food, as well as medications in terms of materials analysis, but also for the quality-control.

Head of the laboratory
Dr Marija Prekajski