Structure from Diffraction Methods

Inorganic materials show a diverse range of important properties that are desirable for many contemporary, real-world applications. Good examples include recyclable battery cathode materials for energy storage and transport, porous solids for capture and storage of gases and molecular complexes for use in electronic devices. An understanding of the function of these materials is necessary in order to optimise their behaviour for real applications, hence the importance of 'structure–property relationships'.

The chapters presented in this volume deal with recent advances in the characterisation of crystalline materials. They include some familiar diffraction methods, thoroughly updated with modern advances. Also included are techniques that can now probe details of the three-dimensional arrangements of atoms in nanocrystalline solids, allowing aspects of disorder to be studied. Small-angle scattering, a technique that is often overlooked, can probe both ordered and disordered structures of materials at longer length scales than those probed by powder diffraction methods.

Addressing both physical principals and recent advances in their applications, Structure from Diffraction Methods covers: 

• Powder Diffraction
• X-Ray and Neutron Single-Crystal Diffraction
• PDF Analysis of Nanoparticles
• Electron Crystallography
• Small-Angle Scattering

Ideal as a complementary reference work to other volumes in the series (Local Structural Characterisation and Multi Length-Scale Characterisation), or as an examination of the specific characterisation techniques in their own right, Structure from Diffraction Methods is a valuable addition to the Inorganic Materials Series.

Duncan Bruce is Professor of Liquid Crystals and Materials Chemistry at the University of York. Prior to this he was Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Exeter, and co-director of the Sheffield Centre for Molecular Materials. His current research interests include liquid crystals and nanoparticle-doped, nanostructured, mesoporous silicates.
He is immediate Past President of the Royal Society of Chemistry Materials Chemistry Division and Chair of the British Liquid Crystal Society. His work has been recognized by various awards including the RSC Tilden Prize for 2010, the RSC's Sir Edward Frankland Fellowship and Corday-Morgan Medal and Prize.

Dermot O'Hare is Professor in the Chemistry Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford. His interests are wide ranging, and include exploratory synthetic organometallic chemistry, intercalation chemistry, time-resolved, in situ diffraction studies and the synthesis of meso- and microporous solids.
In 2010 he won the RSC Ludwig Mond award for outstanding research in Inorganic chemistry.

Dr Richard Walton is Associate Professor in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Warwick.  He was also formerly based in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Exeter. His research group works in the area of solid-state materials chemistry and has a number of projects focusing upon the synthesis, structural characterization and properties of inorganic materials.