These facilities have been provided with the aim of routinely providing high quality laboratory X-ray diffraction data in conjunction with neutron diffraction results. This will allow users of the NIMROD, GEM and SANDALS neutron diffractometers to exploit the complementarities of X-rays and neutrons and extract the maximum information possible from their data.
PANalytical X’pert Pro
The X'pert Pro diffractometer has been optimised for the study of amorphous materials by mounting the samples in capillaries and using a silver anode to produce the X-rays. This allows data to be collected over the widest angular range with a Qmax in excess of 20 Å-1.
The unit was installed in Target Station 2 in September 2008 and after extensive commissioning, including the development of in house data reduction software, GudrunX, user experiments began June 2009. Since then a wide range of experiments has been conducted, studying materials such as oxide glasses, zeolites, bio glasses, cyanides, acids and bulk metallic glasses.
PANalytical Empyrean Diffractometer
Commissioned in December 2017, the Empyrean has enhanced capabilities over the X'pert Pro system, and is equipped with a GaliPIX3D detector optimised for high energy radiation.
