X-Ray Diffraction Analysis, Crystal Chemistry, Environmental Solid State Chemistry, Geochemistry

Our research deals with inorganic solids, their analytical chemistry, their structure, and their solid state and aqueous reactions. X-ray powder diffraction, supplemented with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, figures prominently in all of our research. Using three modern computer-automated instruments (including a new diffractometer with thin film capabilities), the group is working on qualitative and quantitative crystalline phase analysis of coal combustion ash, minerals, ceramics, nanostructured materials, and other industrial solids.

Our program is well known for its developments in qualitative and quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis. Over 25 years, our students determined some 1,000 reference X-ray patterns of pure phases that have been published by the International Centre for Diffraction Data in the Powder Diffraction File, the database of analytical solid state chemistry. Recently, our work has focused on quantitative analysis using a full-profile method. We are improving the quantitation of complex phase assemblages, often made up of a dozen or more phases, using Rietveld Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction Analysis.

Marissa Wisdom (B.S. 2000) and Jeff Walsh (B.S. 1999)
logging core recovered from a 20-year old coal ash

Selected Publications

"Tris(benzylthiolato)bismuth. Efficient Precursor to Phase Pure Polycrystalline Bi2S3." Boudjouk, P., Remington, M.P., Grier, D.G., Jarabek, B.R., and McCarthy, G.J. Inorg. Chem. 37, 3538-3541 (1998).

"Metal Bis(benzylthiolates): Efficient Single Source Precursors to Solid Solutions and Nanoparticles of Metal Sulfides," Boudjouk, P., Jarabek, B.R., Simonson, D., Seidler, D.J., Grier, D.G., McCarthy, G.J., Keller, L.P., Chem. Mater. 10, 2358-2364 (1998).

"XRD and TEM Characterization of Compound Semiconductor Solid Solutions: Sn(S,Se) and (Pb,Cd)S," Jarabek, B.R., Grier, D.G, Simonson, D.L, Seidler, D.J., Boudjouk, P., McCarthy, G.J., and Keller, L.P. Adv. X-Ray Anal., 40 , CD-ROM Edition V40_170, 10 pp. (1998).

"Fly Ash and Other Coal Combustion By-Products," McCarthy, G.J., in Industrial Applications of X-Ray Diffraction, D.K. Smith and F. Chung, Eds., Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 555-572 (1999).

"Quantitative XRD Analysis of Coal Combustion By-Products by the Rietveld Method," Winburn, R.S., Lerach, S., Jarabek, B.R., Wisdom, M.A., Grier, D.G., and McCarthy, G.J., Adv. X-Ray Anal., 42, 387-396 (2000).

"Rietveld Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of NIST Fly Ash Standard Reference Materials," Winburn, R.S., Grier, D.G., McCarthy, G.J., and Peterson, R.B., Powd. Diffr, 15, (2000).

"High-Calcium Coal Combustion By-Products: Engineering Properties, Ettringite Formation, and Potential Application in Solidification and Stabilization of Selenium and Boron," J.K. Solem-Tishmack, G.J. McCarthy, B. Dockter, K.E. Eylands, J.S. Thompson and D.J. Hassett, Cem. Concr. Res., 25, 658-670 (1995).

"X-Ray Powder Diffraction Data for BaPbO3," Jarabek, B.R., McCarthy, G.J. and Grier, D.G., Powd. Diffr., 11, 56-59 (1996).

"Benzyl-Substituted Tin Chalcogenides. Efficient Single Source Precursors for Tin Sulfide, Tin Selenide and Sn(SxSe1-x) Solid Solutions," Boudjouk, P., Seidler, D.J., Grier, D.G., and McCarthy, G.J., Chem. Mater., 8, 1189-1196 (1996).

"Long-Term Stability of Disposed Coal Combustion Byproducts," McCarthy, G.J., Butler, R.D., Grier, D.G., Adamek, S.D., Parks, J.A., and Foster, H.J. Fuel, 76, 697-703 (1997).

"Tris(benzylthiolato)bismuth. Efficient Precursor to Phase Pure Polycrystalline Bi2S3." Boudjouk, P., Remington, M.P., Grier, D.G., Jarabek, B.R., and McCarthy, G.J. Inorg. Chem. 37, 3538-3541 (1998).

"Metal Bis(benzylthiolates): Efficient Single Source Precursors to Solid Solutions and Nanoparticles of Metal Sulfides," Boudjouk, P., Jarabek, B.R., Simonson, D., Seidler, D.J., Grier, D.G., McCarthy, G.J., Keller, L.P., Chem. Mater. 10, 2358-2364 (1998).

"XRD and TEM Characterization of Compound Semiconductor Solid Solutions: Sn(S,Se) and (Pb,Cd)S," Jarabek, B.R., Grier, D.G, Simonson, D.L, Seidler, D.J., Boudjouk, P., McCarthy, G.J., and Keller, L.P. Adv. X-Ray Anal., 40 , CD-ROM Edition V40_170, 10 pp. (1998).

"Fly Ash and Other Coal Combustion By-Products," McCarthy, G.J., in Industrial Applications of X-Ray Diffraction, D.K. Smith and F. Chung, Eds., Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 555-572 (1999).

"Quantitative XRD Analysis of Coal Combustion By-Products by the Rietveld Method," Winburn, R.S., Lerach, S., Jarabek, B.R., Wisdom, M.A., Grier, D.G., and McCarthy, G.J., Adv. X-Ray Anal., 42, 387-396 (2000).

"Rietveld Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of NIST Fly Ash Standard Reference Materials," Winburn, R.S., Grier, D.G., McCarthy, G.J., and Peterson, R.B., Powd. Diffr, 15, (2000).