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Goossens E, Aalling-Frederiksen O, Tack P, Van den Eynden D, Walsh-Korb Z, Jensen KMØ, De Buysser K, De Roo J. From Gel to Crystal: Mechanism of HfO 2 and ZrO 2 Nanocrystal Synthesis in Benzyl Alcohol. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:10723-10734. [PMID: 38588404 PMCID: PMC11027147 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Nonaqueous sol-gel syntheses have been used to make many types of metal oxide nanocrystals. According to the current paradigm, nonaqueous syntheses have slow kinetics, thus favoring the thermodynamic (crystalline) product. Here we investigate the synthesis of hafnium (and zirconium) oxide nanocrystals from the metal chloride in benzyl alcohol. We follow the transition from precursor to nanocrystal through a combination of rheology, EXAFS, NMR, TEM, and X-ray total scattering (PDF analysis). Upon dissolving the metal chloride precursor, the exchange of chloride ligands for benzylalkoxide liberates HCl. The latter catalyzes the etherification of benzyl alcohol, eliminating water. During the temperature ramp to the reaction temperature (220 °C), sufficient water is produced to turn the reaction mixture into a macroscopic gel. Rheological analysis shows a network consisting of strong interactions with temperature-dependent restructuring. After a few minutes at the reaction temperature, crystalline particles emerge from the gel, and nucleation and growth are complete after 30 min. In contrast, 4 h are required to obtain the highest isolated yield, which we attribute to the slow in situ formation of water (the extraction solvent). We used our mechanistic insights to optimize the synthesis, achieving high isolated yields with a reduced reaction time. Our results oppose the idea that nonaqueous sol-gel syntheses necessarily form crystalline products in one step, without a transient, amorphous gel state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline Goossens
- Department
of Chemistry, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Pieter Tack
- Department
of Chemistry, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dietger Van den Eynden
- Department
of Chemistry, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zarah Walsh-Korb
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Jonathan De Roo
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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2
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Broge NLN, Bertelsen AD, Nielsen IG, Kløve M, Roelsgaard M, Dippel AC, Jørgensen MRV, Iversen BB. Exploration of anion effects in solvothermal synthesis using in situ X-ray diffraction. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12121-12132. [PMID: 38587495 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00541d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Solvothermal synthesis presents a facile and highly flexible approach to chemical processing and it is widely used for preparation of micro- and nanosized inorganic materials. The large number of synthesis parameters in combination with the richness of inorganic chemistry means that it is difficult to predict or design synthesis outcomes, and it is demanding to uncover the effect of different parameters due to the sealed and complex nature of solvothermal reactors along with the time demands related to reactor cleaning, sample purification, and characterization. This study explores the effect on formation of crystalline products of six common anions in solvothermal treatment of aqueous and ethanolic precursors. Three different cations are included in the study (Mn2+, Co2+, Cu2+) representing chemical affinities towards different regions of the periodic table with respect to the hard soft acid base (HSAB) classification and the Goldschmidt classification. They additionally belong to the commonly used 3d transition metals and display a suitable variety in solvothermal chemistry to highlight anion effects. The results of the solvothermal in situ experiments demonstrate a clear effect of the precursor anions, with respect to whether crystallization occurs or not and the characteristics of the formed phases. Additionally, some of the anions are shown to be redox active and to influence the formation temperature of certain phases which in turn relates to the observed average crystallite sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Lau Nyborg Broge
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Andreas Dueholm Bertelsen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | | | - Magnus Kløve
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Martin Roelsgaard
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Ann-Christin Dippel
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mads Ry Vogel Jørgensen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Bo Brummerstedt Iversen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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3
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Andersen HL, Granados-Miralles C, Jensen KMØ, Saura-Múzquiz M, Christensen M. The Chemistry of Spinel Ferrite Nanoparticle Nucleation, Crystallization, and Growth. ACS NANO 2024; 18:9852-9870. [PMID: 38526912 PMCID: PMC11008356 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The nucleation, crystallization, and growth mechanisms of MnFe2O4, CoFe2O4, NiFe2O4, and ZnFe2O4 nanocrystallites prepared from coprecipitated transition metal (TM) hydroxide precursors treated at sub-, near-, and supercritical hydrothermal conditions have been studied by in situ X-ray total scattering (TS) with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis, and in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) with Rietveld analysis. The in situ TS experiments were carried out on 0.6 M TM hydroxide precursors prepared from aqueous metal chloride solutions using 24.5% NH4OH as the precipitating base. The PDF analysis reveals equivalent nucleation processes for the four spinel ferrite compounds under the studied hydrothermal conditions, where the TMs form edge-sharing octahedrally coordinated hydroxide units (monomers/dimers and in some cases trimers) in the aqueous precursor, which upon hydrothermal treatment nucleate through linking by tetrahedrally coordinated TMs. The in situ PXRD experiments were carried out on 1.2 M TM hydroxide precursors prepared from aqueous metal nitrate solutions using 16 M NaOH as the precipitating base. The crystallization and growth of the nanocrystallites were found to progress via different processes depending on the specific TMs and synthesis temperatures. The PXRD data show that MnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 nanocrystallites rapidly grow (typically <1 min) to equilibrium sizes of 20-25 nm and 10-12 nm, respectively, regardless of applied temperature in the 170-420 °C range, indicating limited possibility of targeted size control. However, varying the reaction time (0-30 min) and temperature (150-400 °C) allows different sizes to be obtained for NiFe2O4 (3-30 nm) and ZnFe2O4 (3-12 nm) nanocrystallites. The mechanisms controlling the crystallization and growth (nucleation, growth by diffusion, Ostwald ripening, etc.) were examined by qualitative analysis of the evolution in refined scale factor (proportional to extent of crystallization) and mean crystallite volume (proportional to extent of growth). Interestingly, lower kinetic barriers are observed for the formation of the mixed spinels (MnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4) compared to the inverse (NiFe2O4) and normal (ZnFe2O4) spinel structured compounds, suggesting that the energy barrier for formation may be lowered when the TMs have no site preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik L. Andersen
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Madrid 28049, Spain
- Facultad
de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | | | - Kirsten M. Ø. Jensen
- Department
of Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, University
of Copenhagen, København Ø, 2100, Denmark
| | - Matilde Saura-Múzquiz
- Facultad
de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Mogens Christensen
- Department
of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
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4
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Kløve M, Philippot G, Auxéméry A, Aymonier C, Iversen BB. Stabilizing tetragonal ZrO 2 nanocrystallites in solvothermal synthesis. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:3185-3190. [PMID: 38264770 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05364d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Phase-pure tetragonal ZrO2 nanoparticles have been prepared under simple solvothermal synthesis conditions using different types of alcohols as solvents and studied using in situ X-ray scattering. The variation of tetragonal/monoclinic phase ratios within the produced powders was directly correlated with the amount of in situ generated water from solvent dehydration during the syntheses. By controlling the dehydration kinetics, either choosing primary alcohols of varying thermal stability or by changing synthesis temperatures, it is possible to selectively tune this tetragonal/monoclinic phase ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Kløve
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNano, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
| | - Gilles Philippot
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ICMCB, UMR 5026, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Aimery Auxéméry
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ICMCB, UMR 5026, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Cyril Aymonier
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ICMCB, UMR 5026, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Bo Brummerstedt Iversen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNano, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark.
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Roelsgaard M, Kløve M, Christensen R, Bertelsen AD, Broge NLN, Kantor I, Sørensen DR, Dippel AC, Banerjee S, Zimmermann MV, Glaevecke P, Gutowski O, Jørgensen MRV, Iversen BB. A reactor for time-resolved X-ray studies of nucleation and growth during solvothermal synthesis. J Appl Crystallogr 2023; 56:581-588. [PMID: 37284256 PMCID: PMC10241040 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723002339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the nucleation and growth mechanisms of nanocrystals under hydro- and solvothermal conditions is key to tailoring functional nanomaterials. High-energy and high-flux synchrotron radiation is ideal for characterization by powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray total scattering in real time. Different versions of batch-type cell reactors have been employed in this work, exploiting the robustness of polyimide-coated fused quartz tubes with an inner diameter of 0.7 mm, as they can withstand pressures up to 250 bar and temperatures up to 723 K for several hours. Reported here are recent developments of the in situ setups available for general users on the P21.1 beamline at PETRA III and the DanMAX beamline at MAX IV to study nucleation and growth phenomena in solvothermal synthesis. It is shown that data suitable for both reciprocal-space Rietveld refinement and direct-space pair distribution function refinement can be obtained on a timescale of 4 ms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Roelsgaard
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Magnus Kløve
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Christensen
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Andreas D. Bertelsen
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Nils L. N. Broge
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Innokenty Kantor
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2880 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Daniel Risskov Sørensen
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ann-Christin Dippel
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Soham Banerjee
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Philipp Glaevecke
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olof Gutowski
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mads Ry Vogel Jørgensen
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, 224 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Bo Brummerstedt Iversen
- Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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6
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Kløve M, Sommer S, Iversen BB, Hammer B, Dononelli W. A Machine-Learning-Based Approach for Solving Atomic Structures of Nanomaterials Combining Pair Distribution Functions with Density Functional Theory. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2208220. [PMID: 36630711 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Determination of crystal structures of nanocrystalline or amorphous compounds is a great challenge in solid-state chemistry and physics. Pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of X-ray or neutron total scattering data has proven to be a key element in tackling this challenge. However, in most cases, a reliable structural motif is needed as a starting configuration for structure refinements. Here, an algorithm that is able to determine the crystal structure of an unknown compound by means of an on-the-fly trained machine learning model, which combines density functional theory calculations with comparison of calculated and measured PDFs for global optimization in an artificial landscape, is presented. Due to the nature of this landscape, even metastable configurations and stacking disorders can be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Kløve
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNano, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Sanna Sommer
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNano, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Bo B Iversen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry and iNano, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Bjørk Hammer
- Center for Interstellar Catalysis, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, Aarhus, C 8000, Denmark
| | - Wilke Dononelli
- MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science and Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, Bremen University, 28359, Bremen, Germany
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7
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Thomä SLJ, Zobel M. Beam-induced redox chemistry in iron oxide nanoparticle dispersions at ESRF-EBS. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2023; 30:440-444. [PMID: 36891857 PMCID: PMC10000811 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577522011523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The storage ring upgrade of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility makes ESRF-EBS the most brilliant high-energy fourth-generation light source, enabling in situ studies with unprecedented time resolution. While radiation damage is commonly associated with degradation of organic matter such as ionic liquids or polymers in the synchrotron beam, this study clearly shows that highly brilliant X-ray beams readily induce structural changes and beam damage in inorganic matter, too. Here, the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ in iron oxide nanoparticles by radicals in the brilliant ESRF-EBS beam, not observed before the upgrade, is reported. Radicals are created due to radiolysis of an EtOH-H2O mixture with low EtOH concentration (∼6 vol%). In light of extended irradiation times during insitu experiments in, for example, battery and catalysis research, beam-induced redox chemistry needs to be understood for proper interpretation of insitu data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina L. J. Thomä
- Institute of Crystallography, RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstraße 17–19, Aachen, 52066 Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Mirijam Zobel
- Institute of Crystallography, RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstraße 17–19, Aachen, 52066 Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
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8
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Kløve M, Christensen RS, Nielsen IG, Sommer S, Jørgensen MRV, Dippel AC, Iversen BB. Zr 4+ solution structures from pair distribution function analysis. Chem Sci 2022; 13:12883-12891. [PMID: 36519061 PMCID: PMC9645415 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04522b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The structures of metal ions in solution constitute essential information for obtaining chemical insight spanning from catalytic reaction mechanisms to formation of functional nanomaterials. Here, we explore Zr4+ solution structures using X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) analysis across pH (0-14), concentrations (0.1-1.5 M), solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile) and metal sources (ZrCl4, ZrOCl2·8H2O, ZrO(NO3)2·xH2O). In water, [Zr4(OH)8(OH2)16]8+-tetramers are predominant, while non-aqueous solvents contain monomeric complexes. The PDF analysis also reveals second sphere coordination of chloride counter ions to the aqueous tetramers. The results are reproducible across data measured at three different beamlines at the PETRA-III and MAX IV synchrotron light sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magnus Kløve
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Rasmus Stubkjær Christensen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Ida Gjerlevsen Nielsen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Sanna Sommer
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Mads Ry Vogel Jørgensen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University Fotongatan 2 225 94 Lund Sweden
| | | | - Bo Brummerstedt Iversen
- Center for Integrated Materials Research, Department of Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University Langelandsgade 140 8000 Aarhus C Denmark
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Tsymbarenko D, Grebenyuk D, Burlakova M, Zobel M. Quick and robust PDF data acquisition using a laboratory single-crystal X-ray diffractometer for study of polynuclear lanthanide complexes in solid form and in solution. J Appl Crystallogr 2022. [DOI: 10.1107/s1600576722005878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembled polynuclear lanthanide hydroxo complexes are important objects in the reticular chemistry approach to the design of various functional materials. Revealing their structure in the solid state and understanding the molecular mechanism of self-assembly in solution require a universal and reliable structural method. Pair distribution function (PDF) analysis is a powerful technique which enables structural insight for a wide range of crystalline and amorphous materials on the nanoscale, but commonly measurements are performed at synchrotron X-ray sources or on specially designed laboratory diffractometers. In the present paper, a standard Bruker D8 QUEST single-crystal X-ray diffractometer equipped with a micro-focus Mo tube and CMOS Photon III detector was adapted to measure PDF data of high quality with Q
max = 16.97 Å–1 for solid and liquid samples. An improved data collection strategy and the original data reduction software FormagiX enable calibration and azimuthal full-frame integration of 2D frames, delivering reliable PDFs up to 80 Å with instrumental parameters Q
damp = 0.018 Å−1 and Q
broad = 0.010 Å−1. The effectiveness of the developed approach was demonstrated with reference samples and real-case studies of tetranuclear lanthanide hydroxocarboxylates in solid form and in solution.
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