The Power of X-Ray Powder Diffraction for Pharmaceutical Analyses

X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) is fast becoming one of the key analytical techniques in the pharmaceutical industry generating critical data for users in many areas of drug discovery, development and manufacture. That such diverse applications are now feasible is due to recent advances in hardware and software technology – specifically the development of fast X-ray detectors that have resulted in significantly reduced measurement times whilst at the same time improving detection limits.

Another factor contributing to the growing power of XRPD, is the potential for many different types of analysis to be carried out on a single system. The flexibility of certain systems, such as the X'Pert PRO MPD (PANalytical B.V., The Netherlands), means that with the addition of appropriate modules a diffractometer can be quickly and easily reconfigured from a high-end system suitable for the crystallographic researcher to become a "work-horse" for routine measurements.

The aim of this article is to provide an insight into some of the many ways in which XRPD is currently being used in the pharmaceutical industry. The examples given are all based on the use of a PANalytical X'Pert PRO MPD system fitted with an X'Celerator detector (based on RTMS technology).