Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Facility

The facility provides crystallographic support to researchers within the School of Chemistry as well as offering services to external users.

Diffraction Equipment

We have recently acquired an Agilent SuperNova single crystal X-ray diffractometer.  It is fitted with an Atlas area detector and a kappa-geometry 4-circle goniometer. There are two high flux microfocus sources producing monochromatic X-rays with wavelengths of 0.71073 Å (Molybdenum) and 1.54056 Å (copper), allowing structure determination from a wide range of crystalline materials, as well as a high degree of experimental flexibility.

Temperature Control

There are significant advantages to the collection of diffraction data at low temperatures.  There are obvious applications for low and variable temperature data collection in the study of phase transitions and thermally dependant material properties.  In addition routine datasets benefit from an increase in the observed data at high 2θ values as well as a reduction in thermal motion, ratiation damage, dynamic disorder, thermal diffuse scattering and anharmonic effects when the sample temperature is reduced.  More information on the benefits of low temperature XRD can be found here.

We have an Oxford Cryosystems 700 series cryostream capable of maintaining the temperature of the sample at a fixed value between 80 and 400 K. Temperatures down to 30 K are attainable with the Oxford Cryosystems Helix, which uses helium gas cylinders.  Most samples submitted to the service will be run at 120 K, but please contact us if you are interested in other conditions.

Contact

X-Ray Diffraction Facility
Room G31
School of Chemistry
University of Leeds
0113 34 34658
Email: chmxray@leeds.ac.uk