The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Dr. Joachim Frank of Columbia University, Dr. Jacques Dubochet of Lausanne University and Dr. Richard Henderson of MRC Molecular Biology Institute for “developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution”.
High-resolution atomic level structural analysis of proteins is essential for understanding life and for identifying...
In characterizing multi-component materials, constituent crystalline phases are first identified, and their relative abundances are quantified, in general, as a second step. Techniques of quantitative phase analysis (QPA) using the X-ray powder diffraction method have been used widely for materials characterization in research and development as well as in quality control of industrial products. Various techniques for...
Yukiko Namatame, Takahiro Kuzumaki, Yuji Shiramata and Keigo Nagao
In powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the measurement mode (0D, 1D, 2D) and optical system are selected to suit the state of the sample and the purpose of the experiment. Until about 10 years ago, the typical approach was a 0D measurement using a scintillation counter (SC) combined with the Bragg-Brentano focusing method (BB optical system) or...
The principle of single crystal X-ray structure analysis is the same for organic/inorganic materials and proteins. However, although the steps of structural analysis are the same, there are major differences in the method of executing each step between structural analysis of small molecules and proteins. One of the steps where there is a major difference is...
The fusion method and the pressed powder method are well-known and typical sample preparation techniques in X-ray fluorescence analysis of powder samples. In the fusion method, a sample is fused with some alkali borate flux at high temperature to make a glass bead. The method allows more accurate analysis because it provides a substantially homogeneous sample specimen...
Sample preparation by liquid and droplet methods have been discussed in the previous installment of “Sample preparation for XRF analysis”. In this issue, a novel preparation method by which liquid samples are solidified is described. Solidifying samples such as lubricating oils allows measurement to be performed in vacuum instead of helium and without the need of sample...
In straightforward terms, the XtaLAB Synergy-DW diffractometer combines the increased flux of a rotating anode source with the flexibility of two different wavelengths, making it ideal for laboratories exploring a wide range of crystallographic research interests. The system is based on Rigaku’s proven, low-maintenance MicroMax-007HF microfocus rotating anode. The target is constructed with two different source materials...
The MiniFlex series has a 40-year legacy, and the MiniFlex benchtop X-ray diffractometer presented here is the latest model of this series. It is now possible to use MiniFlex with the HyPix 2D detector, an option previously available only for high-end models. This is a benchtop X-ray diffractometer, yet it still enables easy 2D measurement.
Thermal analysis instruments are used in a variety of fields of specialization, such as in new materials development, product evaluation, or quality control where the reaction temperature or reaction energy derived from the melting of a material can be measured easily. Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) is an analytical tool that detects the change in thermal energy generated...
