What Are the Exact Scherrer Shape Factors for Different Crystallite Structures?

In summary, the table in the attached PDF shows the crystallite shape factor, depending on the reflection plane, for cubic crystals. The values range from 0.89 for spherical to 0.94 for cubic particles.
  • #1
Salish99
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The Scherrer equation is used to determine crystallite sizes from XRD spectra.
they contain K, a shape factor, that varies from 0.89 for spherical to 0.94 for cubic particles. Usually, this is set to 0.9 for particles of unknown size.
Does anyone know where we could find a table with the exact, published values for different crystallites (e.g. monoclinic, cubic, etc.)?

Scherrer's original papers are published here
http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/dm...]=scherrer&tx_goobit3_search[squery]=scherrer
but a) in German, and b) do not contain such a table.

thanks.

The discussions in
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=122682&page=2
and
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=322033
simply assume it's 0.9. No reference is given there. I need the exact table, and a reference.
 
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  • #2
I think you are mixing the crystallite shape with the unit cell of the crystal.
As you say yourself, K depends on the shape of the crystallite and not that of the unit cell.
There may be a realtion between unit cell and crystallite shape (NaCl has cubic unit cell and may crystalize in cubic crystallites) but is not unique and not well determined.

If you take cubic crystallites and grind them in a mill you may end up with spherical particles or irregularly shaped particles, depending on the milling conditions.
There are also crystals with cubic unit cell (ferrites for example) that may crystallize in elongated (needle-like) crystals.
 
  • #3
Attached a table from the International Union of Crystallography, Vol 3 Section 5.2, 1986 pp.318-323. It shows some shape factors to be used for the cubic system, depending on the reflection plane, and the shape (octahedron, cube, tetrahedron) of the actual crystal.
Interesting to see is that only one value is below 1, whereas is all this forum, as well as in many published papers, 0.9 is usually used "when the shape is unknown".
I would like to have someone tell me where that information comes from, with reference please.
thanks!

(and, no, outdated student pages like http://www.d.umn.edu/~bhar0022/dpcalculator/index.php and http://www.eng.uc.edu/~gbeaucag/Classes/XRD/SathishScherrerhtml/SathishScherrerEqn.html do not have any references either - maybe people don't think about that factor usually)
 

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  • #4
I have value of 2 theta 35.546 deg, d spacing 2.5235 A, fwhm (2 th) 0.148 deg, can somone use it to get size of crystallite. after getting data analysed by a program expertplus i have got this, thankyou
 

1. What is a Scherrer XRD shape factor?

A Scherrer XRD shape factor is a measure of the broadening of X-ray diffraction peaks due to the finite size of the crystalline particles being studied. It is used to calculate the average particle size of a sample.

2. How is the Scherrer XRD shape factor calculated?

The Scherrer XRD shape factor is calculated using the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of a diffraction peak, the wavelength of the X-rays, and the Bragg angle at which the peak occurs. It is then used in the Scherrer equation to determine the particle size.

3. Why is the Scherrer XRD shape factor important in X-ray diffraction analysis?

The Scherrer XRD shape factor is important because it allows for the determination of the average particle size of a sample, which is a crucial parameter in many fields such as material science, pharmaceuticals, and geology. It also helps to ensure the accuracy and reliability of X-ray diffraction data.

4. How does the Scherrer XRD shape factor vary with different sample types?

The Scherrer XRD shape factor can vary with different sample types due to factors such as crystal structure, particle shape, and sample preparation methods. It is important to determine the appropriate shape factor for each sample type to ensure accurate particle size calculations.

5. Are there any limitations to using the Scherrer XRD shape factor?

Yes, there are some limitations to using the Scherrer XRD shape factor. It assumes that the particles in the sample are spherical and randomly oriented, which may not always be the case. Additionally, the accuracy of the shape factor can be affected by instrumental factors such as the resolution of the X-ray diffractometer.

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