Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed X-ray crystallography.
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...
Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

NIPTE 2030: The Nation's Digital Trust Anchor for Pharma 5.0.

Pharmaceutical research·2026
Same author

From Unwanted Annoyances to Oral Delivery Saviors: The Rollercoaster Journey of Amorphous Drugs.

Molecular pharmaceutics·2025
Same author

Modulating the Physical Form of Mannitol Crystallizing in Frozen Solutions: The Role of Cosolute and Processing.

Molecular pharmaceutics·2025
Same author

Simultaneous XRD-DSC identifies correct drug-polymer solubility and miscibility for enantiotropic solid forms.

Journal of pharmaceutical sciences·2024
Same author

Structural features of the glassy state and their impact on the solid-state properties of organic molecules in pharmaceutical systems.

Journal of pharmaceutical sciences·2024
Same author

Current practice in the perioperative management of patients with diabetes mellitus: a narrative review.

British journal of anaesthesia·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
08:55

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Published on: June 7, 2018

Analysis of amorphous and nanocrystalline solids from their X-ray diffraction patterns.

Simon Bates1, George Zografi, David Engers

  • 1SSCI, Inc, 3065 Kent Ave, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA.

Pharmaceutical Research
|October 6, 2006
PubMed
Summary

X-ray amorphous powder patterns can indicate disordered nanocrystalline, glassy, or amorphous pharmaceutical materials. Advanced modeling reveals structural transformations during grinding, impacting solid-state stability.

More Related Videos

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
07:24

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis

Published on: May 10, 2021

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction
09:13

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

Published on: April 1, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
08:55

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Published on: June 7, 2018

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
07:24

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis

Published on: May 10, 2021

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction
09:13

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

Published on: April 1, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Solid-state chemistry
  • Materials science
  • Pharmaceutical sciences

Background:

  • Pharmaceutical solids can exist in various forms, including crystalline and amorphous states.
  • Understanding the amorphous state is crucial for drug formulation and stability.
  • X-ray diffraction is a key technique for characterizing solid-state forms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To physically describe the amorphous state in pharmaceutical materials.
  • To investigate the pharmaceutical implications of amorphous forms.
  • To present techniques for analyzing structures in X-ray amorphous powder patterns.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) was used to measure amorphous patterns.
  • Analysis involved pair distribution functions (PDF) and material modeling (Rietveld, total scattering, amorphous packing).
  • Microcrystalline cellulose, indomethacin, and piroxicam were studied.

Main Results:

  • X-ray amorphous patterns can signify amorphous, glassy, or disordered nanocrystalline material.
  • Grinding transformed crystalline indomethacin and piroxicam into amorphous structures.
  • Disordered nanocrystalline cellulose and amorphous phases of piroxicam were characterized.

Conclusions:

  • Different solid-state models can interpret X-ray amorphous powder patterns.
  • Structural assignments were made for disordered nanocrystalline, glassy, and amorphous states.
  • The pharmaceutical implications for solid-state stability were discussed.