Achieve deeper X-ray diffraction insights with XRD2Dscan

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a popular and powerful tool used by material scientists and researchers, allowing them to explore the structural properties of materials. However, some users need even deeper insights than those delivered by traditional 1-dimensional XRD experiments. That’s where 2D XRD comes in.

2D XRD data require special treatment and analysis tools. Malvern Panalytical’s XRD2DScan is the cutting-edge software package for 2D data analysis, offering unprecedented insight into material properties that are difficult to capture with 1D methods. Read on to learn about the benefits of 2D XRD, and if you’d like to learn more, sign up for our webinar on November 27!

What happens during an XRD experiment?

In a standard XRD experiment, radioactive beams are projected onto a material, which are diffracted when atoms are encountered. The angles at which the beams diffract can then be used to determine the arrangement of atoms in the material – such as the proportion of crystalline regions, where atoms form in a strict formation, or amorphous regions, where in contrast the atoms do not form a regular pattern.

As the presence, proportions, and layout of crystalline structures have a large impact on the properties of a material, this type of measurement is used in everything from product design to quality control. However, researchers sometimes need even richer datasets that provide fast and visual insight into various material properties, including crystallite size, material texture, and anisotropic features.

What’s the difference between 1D and 2D XRD?

In those situations, the answer is to directly capture 2D diffraction signal, rather than record a 1D snippet of it. The challenge of such a 2D experiment is that a different set of treatment and analysis tools are required to extract the vast amount of data, contained in 2D XRD datasets.

That’s the purpose of the XRD2DScan software, which enables researchers to fully leverage the power of 2D XRD. This is especially beneficial for characterization of anisotropic samples:  polymers, polycrystalline materials with large grains, strong textures, or inhomogeneities.

For example, the software allows to design a 2D texture experiment and easily convert the measured 2D dataset into a single or multiple pole figures, perform required data corrections. The benefit of 2D texture experiment over a conventional 0D one is in its speed. In a conventional pole figure measurement with a point detector, the collected intensity corresponds to a single point of the pole figure for each sample position. In a 2D pole figure measurement the area detector simultaneously collects intensities of multiple points on the pole figure or multiple pole figures. The same dataset also includes the data for background correction. Moving from 0D to 2D allows to streamline the assessment of materials texture (metals, ceramics, etc.) and hence properties anisotropy.

Key capabilities of XRD2DScan

Malvern Panalytical’s XRD2DScan software has been designed to simplify the analysis of 2D X-ray diffraction data, making it an essential tool for anyone working with anisotropic materials.

XRD2DScan allows users to access crystallite size, calculate orientation parameter. You can work with the entire 2D dataset or part of it to make analysis more selective.

Another important feature of XRD2DScan is its ability to mask unwanted features like strong reflections or direct beams. This is particularly helpful when analyzing 2D patterns with a strong background noise or parasitic scattering that can obscure important details (e.g. 2D data from a sample inside a diamond anvil cell).

The latest version of XRD2DScan (version 8.0) introduces exciting new functionalities, such as the ability to calculate pole figures, which are crucial for understanding sample property anisotropy. Additionally, the new peak mapping feature makes it easier to visualize inhomogeneities within a sample, adding another layer of analysis for complex materials.

Learn more in our upcoming webinar

XRD2DScan software’s comprehensive feature set, combined with its ease of use, makes it an indispensable tool for any researcher using XRD. But what are the best ways to use it for specific applications?

In our upcoming free webinar on November 27, Malvern Panalytical XRD application specialist Anil Kumar will take a deeper dive into the functionalities of XRD2Dscan 8.0. Anil will walk you through the key features and demonstrate how the software can be used to analyze 2D diffraction data in real time. The session will also include case studies and practical tips for getting the most out of this powerful tool. Join us to start seeing more from your XRD analysis!

Don’t miss out – register for the webinar today!