Crystal Structure Determination [Paperback]

Werner Massa (Author), R.O. Gould (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 3, 2000 | ISBN-10: 3540659706 | ISBN-13: 978-3540659709 | Edition: 1

This textbook gives a concise introduction to modern crystal structure determination, emphasizing both its theoretical background and the way it is actually carried out. The theoretical sections are supported by many illustrations, and emphasise good understanding rather than rigorous mathematics. The most important data collection techniques, and the methods of data reduction, structure solution and refinement are discussed from a practical point of view. Many tips and insights help readers to recognize and avoid possible errors and traps, and to judge the quality of results. The second edition has been considerably updated, especially the chapter on experimental methods, which is now mainly concerned with modern data collection using area-detectors.

From the reviews of the first edition –

"Distinguished by its attention to the practicalities of working with real crystals…a lucid and relatively concise account of modern crystal structure solution …valuable to anyone who has an interest in crystal structure refinement."

The Geological Magazine

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: "Distinguished by its attention to the practicalities of working with real crystals…a lucid and relatively concise account of modern crystal structure solution …valuable to anyone who has an interest in crystal structure refinement." The Geological Journal "The book provides a nice balance between describing the mathematical fundamentals and offering practical advice on how to solve a crystal structure… appropriate for an undergraduate audience (particularly in chemistry) and for graduate students or researchers who find they need a better grasp of the subject… a very helpful addition to the collection of introductory texts in X-ray crystallography. Especially for its treatment of common errors in the collection of intensity data and in the interpretation of results." Acta Crystallographica "Details at great length the inherent pitfalls and errors that one may encounter when calculating crystal structures using new software programs. The author does an excellent job of describing these errors and ways to recognize them when they appear in your calculations." Mineralium Deposita From the reviews of the second edition: "This textbook gives a concise introduction to modern crystal structure determination … . The theoretical sections are supported by many illustrations, and lay emphasis on a good understanding … . The most important data collection techniques … are discussed from a practical point of view. Many tips and insights help readers to recognise and avoid possible errors and traps, and to judge the quality of results." (Chimie Nouvelle Societe Royale de Chimie, Vol. 23 (89), juin, 2005) “‘Crystal Structure Determination’ gives a concise introduction to the subject, with particular emphasis placed on the manner in which contemporary analysis actually occurs. … The strengths of this book are numerous. The presentation is excellent: the diagrams are plentiful and often impressive, and the formatting of the text is very pleasing to the eye. … the research chemist with a desire to appreciate more fully a technique that they are likely to use with increasing frequency – the book should be a helpful companion.” (Andrew Bond, Crystallography News, June, 2004) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 206 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (February 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3540659706
• ISBN-13: 978-3540659709
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,723,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful tool for all dealing with structure determination, September 12, 2001

By 

Andreas Fischer "Andif" (Stockholm, Sweden) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crystal Structure Determination (Paperback)

Single crystal structure determination has become an important and extremely powerful tool not only for inorganic and structural chemists but for all kinds of chemists interested in the structures of their compounds. The major disadvantage of this method was hitherto the lack of useful introductions into it's practical use.
This gap has been filled by Massa's book.
It focuses - unlike other crystallography books - on the practical applications and enables the reader to attack own structural problems by himself. Additionally, this book will provide the necessary theoretical background to understand how X-ray diffraction works, how crystals are built, all this symmetry stuff and so on.
The absolute highlight is, however, the step-by-step explanation of a structure determination, where one can almost see the author sitting in front of his computer and struggling with one of his structures, explaining every step in detail.
Crystallography still needs heavy brain work sometimes. But this book won't cause unnecessary headaches as many other crystallography books do.
Therefore, I recommend this book warmly to my crystallography students.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book Doctors Recommend Most, August 14, 2005

By 

Dr. Peter Muller (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Crystal Structure Determination (Hardcover)

This is the ideal book for the beginner and in my opinion a must-read. In the excellent translation by Robert O. Gould, "Crystal Structure Determination" by Werner Massa explains all the basics from symmetry in real and reciprocal space, over generation of X-rays and other practical aspects, all the way to structure solution and refinement. Massa keeps the book simple and understandable and uses mathematical formulae carefully and only when helpful or necessary.

I learned the basics of crystallography from the German original of "the Massa". Now that I am a teacher of crystallography myself, this is the book I recommend to my students.

3.0 out of 5 stars A bit dissapointing, March 5, 2011

By 

Chab - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crystal Structure Determination (Paperback)

Good book, somewhat covering all of the basics of X-ray crystallography. It takes a lot for granted, however, and I don't feel it is of such a high teaching value...