BOOK REVIEW
E l e m e n t s of X - r a y Diffraction. B y B. D. CULLITY.
P p . x i v + 514 w i t h m a n y figs. a n d tables. R e a d i n g ,
M a s s a c h u s e t t s : A d d i s o n - W e s l e y . 1956. P r i c e $10.00.
The book is addressed to a reader w i t h no previous
knowledge of the t h e o r y of X - r a y diffraction, the ex-
perimental m e t h o d s used a n d their applications. The
t r e a t m e n t is based on the Bragg's law a n d no knowledge
of the reciprocal lattice is required, t h a t subject being
referred to only in a n a p p e n d i x of some 15 pp. W i t h i n
these self-imposed limitations the a u t h o r has given a v e r y
good i n t r o d u c t o r y account of the subject which should
be of interest to students of metallurgy, chemistry a n d
mineralogy requiring a simple description of the m e t h o d s
of X - r a y analysis.
The subject m a t t e r falls into three sections : F u n d a m e n -
tals, E x p e r i m e n t a l Methods, and Applications. The first
of these (136 pp.) consists of four chapters dealing w i t h
the properties of X-rays, the geometry of crystals, a n d
the direction a n d i n t e n s i t y of the diffracted X - r a y beams.
The rotating-crystal m e t h o d is mentioned only briefly
on the grounds t h a t 'the complete determination of com-
plex crystal structures is a subject beyond the scope of
t h i s book a n d outside the province of the average metal-
lurgist who uses X - r a y diffraction as a l a b o r a t o r y tool'.
The section on experimental methods (76 pp.) has
t h r e e chapters devoted to the Laue method, the powder
m e t h o d a n d diffractometer measurements, the last in-
cluding a readable account of the use of proportional,
Geiger a n d scintillation counters.
The remainder of the t e x t contains an account of some
applications of X - r a y analysis a n d a m o u n t s to r a t h e r
more t h a n half t h e book (238 pp.). The applications re-
ferred to are n e a r l y all of metallurgical interest, such as
t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n of simple structures, precise p a r a m e t e r
m e a s u r e m e n t s a n d t h e i r application to phase-diagram
work. Chemical analysis, q u a n t i t a t i v e a n d qualitative,
is covered in three chapters, in which the use of diffrac-
tion methods, fluorescent radiation a n d absorption
m e a s u r e m e n t s are described.
The book concludes w i t h a chapter giving a list of t e x t
books, reference books a n d periodicals recommended for
f u r t h e r s t u d y Of the subject, a n d fifteen appendices. E a c h
c h a p t e r concludes w i t h a n u m b e r of problems, t h e an-
swers to some of which are given.
G. D. PRESTON and their experimental determinations. The principal
University College
Dundee, Scotland
Modern I n s t r u m e n t s in Chemical Analysis.
B y FRANK M. BIFFElV a n d WILLIAM SEAMAN. P p .
i x + 3 3 3 w i t h m a n y figs. N e w Y o r k , T o r o n t o , L o n - The title of this chapter is somewhat misleading, as it
d o n : M c G r a w Hill. 1956. P r i c e $ 7.50; 56s.6d.
This is a book which describes a n u m b e r of physical
m e t h o d s used for, or applied to, chemical analysis.
E x a m p l e s of the subjects covered are emission spec-
troscopy, flame p h o t o m e t r y , mass spectrometry, polaro-
g r a p h y , potentiometrie analysis, a n d radioactivity. Only
one of the fourteen chapters deals w i t h X - r a y diffraction
a n d this review is confined to a discussion of t h a t chapter
(pp. 31 w i t h 18 figs.). The authors stress t h a t their
389
accounts are not designed for the expert, b u t for the
general practitioner who m i g h t wish to learn w h a t k i n d of
help a particular i n s t r u m e n t could afford h i m ; so it
would h a r d l y be fair to expect the chapter on X - r a y
diffraction to contain m u c h to intrigue the skilled crystal-
lographer.
As the title of t h e book implies, there is special em-
phasis on the tools of the trade. The properties of X-rays,
the crystalline state, and the basic methods of recording
diffraction p a t t e r n s are dealt w i t h in a m a t t e r of some
eight pages. There follows a short description, w i t h illus-
trations, of examples of commercial diifraction apparatus,
including the diffractometer (which is referred to as a
Geiger-counter spectrometer). A quite n o t e w o r t h y a m o u n t
of experimental detail about powder methods is packed
into t h e space of a few pages, a n d the chapter finishes
with a v e r y brief pointer to the scope of X - r a y fluorescence
spectroscopy.
I t is a little u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t the table of wavelengths
on p. 126 was t a k e n w i t h o u t correction from the 1933
edition of The Crystalline State. The values are t h u s in
k X . units, a n d not in ~ units as stated, a n d tiffs leads to
a discrepancy between the Cu K a radiation figures given
in the t e x t on p. 146 a n d in the corresponding table. I t
m a y perhaps be considered a n o t h e r error of j u d g m e n t
t h a t in giving advice about sources of crystallographic
information there is mention of Strulcturbericht b u t not
of Structure Reports, a n d of Wyckoff's Structure of Crys-
tals b u t not of his more recent Crystal Structures.
Research Laboratories H. P. RooKsBY
The General Electric Company
Wembley, England
O r d e r - D i s o r d e r Phenomena. B y E. W. ELCOCK.
P p . i x + 166 w i t h m a n y figs. L o n d o n : Methuen;
N e w Y o r k : W i l e y . 1956. P r i c e l l s .
This book, one of Methuen's Monographs on Physical
Subjects, gives a n excellent introduction to the difficult
topic of order-disorder problems. I t consists of five
chapters. The first gives a general introduction a n d the
second deals w i t h the several kinds of order p a r a m e t e r s
subject of this volume, however, is to be found in the
next two chapters, which treat the statistical theory of
ordering of binary alloys. The third chapter follows closely
the presentation, given in Fowler & Guggenheim's,
Statistical Thermodynamics, of two interpenetrating lat-
tices, each of them being entirely or partially occupied
by one of the constituents. In the fourth chapter alloys,
described by four interpenetrating lattices, are discussed.
suggests that Chapter 3 is concerned only with stoichio-
metric alloys. The last chapter gives a clear exposition of
the problems of ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism and
ferrhnagnetism. Most chapters conclude with a summary.
The theoretical investigations in each chapter are
followed by the experLmental evidence, and the discrep-
ancies between these two are discussed, and, as far as
possible, explained.
The booklet is also intended for the reader with less
specialized interests, a n d it m a y stimulate him to m a k e