Thermo launches X-ray diffraction for pharma analysis
diffractometer (XRD) instrument that enables scientists to perform
qualitative and quantitative analyses in central and QA/QC
laboratories with high sample throughput.
Incorporating innovative detector technology for rapid data acquisition, the ARL X'tra is designed to perform pharmaceutical analyses of powder samples and tablets in small quantities.
Thermo Electron's instrument features high angular resolution, which can detect peak overlaps for all types of crystallography analysis thus achieving peak indexing and structure refinement. The sensitivity of the instrument allows quantitative analyses to be performed on polymorphs including trace phases.
It also achieves per cent 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 X'tra achieves high sensitivity and superior resolution, while its Bragg Brentano Theta ensures easy sample handling and flexible geometry.
X-ray powder diffraction is a technique that 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.
A dual wavelength mode operation means that Cu Ka or Cu Kb can be selected via software depending on the sample type. In addition, 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.
