Effect of powder sample granularity on fluorescent intensity and on thermal parameters in x-ray diffraction Rietveld analysis

The effect of sample granularity on diffracted x-ray intensity was evaluated by measuring the 2θ dependence of x-ray fluorescence from various samples. Measurements were made in the symmetric geometry on samples ranging from single crystals to highly absorbing coarse powders. A characteristic shape for the absorption correction was observed. A demonstration of the sensitivity of Rietveld refined site occupation parameters is made on CuAu and Cu50Au44Ni6 alloys refined with and without granularity corrections. These alloys provide a good example of the effect of granularity due to their large linear x-ray absorption coefficients. Sample granularity and refined thermal parameters obtained from the Rietveld analysis were found to be correlated. Without a granularity correction, the refined thermal parameters are too low and can actually become negative in an attempt to compensate for granularity. A general shape for granularity correction can be included in refinement procedures. If no granularity correction is included, data should be restricted to above 30 degrees 2θ, and thermal parameters should be ignored unless extreme precautions are taken to produce >5 μm particles and high packing densities