International Tables Volume H: Powder diffraction now available

We are pleased to announce the publication in print and online of the much-anticipated International Tables for Crystallography Volume H: Powder diffraction. This substantial volume, edited by C. J. Gilmore, J. A. Kaduk and H. Schenk, is the result of a huge amount of effort from the powder diffraction community, and we would like to thank the Editors and the authors for their outstanding dedication and hard work. 

Powder diffraction is the most widely used crystallographic method with applications spanning all aspects of structural science. This new volume of International Tables covers all aspects of the technique with over 50 chapters written by experts in the field. The 932-page volume contains seven parts:

• Part 1 provides an introduction to the principles of powder diffraction.
• Part 2 covers instrumentation for laboratory X-ray studies, synchrotron, neutron and electron diffraction, 2D diffraction and special environments (temperature, pressure, magnetic fields, reaction cells). Sample preparation is also covered.
• Part 3 describes the different methodologies used in powder diffraction.
• Part 4 covers structure determination and validation.
• Part 5 discusses defects, texture and microstructure: stress and strain, grain size and thin films.
• Part 6 provides a useful review of available software.
• Part 7 describes applications to many areas of industrial and academic importance including macromolecules, zeolites, mining, ceramics, cement, forensic science, archaeology and pharmaceuticals. Both the theory and applications are discussed.

Volume H is the key reference for all powder diffractionists from beginners to advanced practitioners, and has been designed to be a practical volume without sacrificing rigour. Many examples of the method are discussed in detail and in several cases the data used are available to download.

Readers at institutions whose libraries have purchased perpetual access to the full set of International Tables will already have access to the online edition of Volume H. All the volumes are also available in print, with a 50% discount for IUCr Associates buying copies for personal use. For more information, please see here.