Thermo Electron Corp.'s ARL Xtra high performance powder X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) is a state-of-the-art solution dedicated to conducting cost-effective, fast and reliable pharmaceutical analyses of powder samples and tablets in small quantities. Incorporating innovative detector technology for rapid data acquisition, the ARL Xtra is designed to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses in central and QA/QC laboratories with high sample throughput.
X-ray powder diffraction is extensively used in the drug discovery, design, development and formulation processes to obtain valuable knowledge about pharmaceutical products. The technique allows the scientist to easily identify drug morphology and its degree of crystallinity. It also facilitates polymorph identification, quantification of phases in a mixture and their behaviour as a function of temperature, humidity and other environmental conditions.
The Thermo ARL Xtra features high angular resolution, which can detect peak overlaps for all types of crystallography analysis thus achieving peak indexing and structure refinement. Being highly sensitive, the instrument performs quantitative analyses on polymorphs including trace phases. It also achieves percent crystallinity of fillers, polymorph identification using high and low temperature stages and sample stability using an environmental chamber.
The Peltier cooled Si(Li) solid state detector ensures that the ARL Xtra achieves high sensitivity and superior resolution, while its Bragg Brentano Theta guarantees easy sample handling and flexible geometry. The instruments low intrinsic noise allows trace phase identification.
A dual wavelength mode operation means that Cu Ka or Cu Kb can be selected via software depending on the sample type. Accessories and geometries are easily changeable due to impressive plug and play features. There is no need to use beta filters and monochromators to remove sample fluorescence or unwanted tube lines. Standard-less quantitative phase analysis is performed based on Rietveld programs.
