Quantitative phase analysis from X-ray powder diffraction data using a two-stage method

Abstract

A two-stage procedure is described for quantitative phase analysis of multicomponent mixtures. Profile analysis of the diffraction pattern of a mixture of phases is done in stage one to obtain integrated intensities with higher accuracy. In stage two a structural refinement is done which yields a scale factor. The weight of a phase in a mixture is proportional to its specific scale factor. The two-stage method was found to be effective for the quantitative phase analysis of a mixture of minerals which always contain structural defects. The procedure was tested first by using two artificial mixtures and then it was applied to natural kaolin. The results obtained were more accurate than some of the other methods used for quantitative analysis; moreover, it can also be used with mixtures containing amorphous or undetermined phases. © 1994, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.