Microscopes are used across a range of disiplines in chemistry, for example to examine suitability of crystals for X-ray diffraction or to look at the phases of liquid crystals.

Crystal requirements for small molecule X-ray crystallography

The main use of the microscope in teaching labs is to assertain whether crystals are suitable for X-ray diffraction in order to obtain structural information. A crystal suitable for diffraction should contain the following:

• Clear / transparent in appearance

• Smooth and flat faces

• Regular angles between sides and faces

• Uniform colour change when adjusting the polariser

More details on the requirements for single crystals for X-ray diffraction can be found on the X-ray service pages.