Hugo Rietveld
Encyclopedia
Hugo M. Rietveld is a Dutch crystallographer
and one of the most prominent crystallographers of the 20th century. He is famous for his invention of the Rietveld refinement method, which is used for the characterisation of crystalline materials from powder diffraction data. The Rietveld refinement
uses a least squares approach to refine a theoretical line profile (calculated from a known or postulated crystal structure) until it matches the measured profile. The introduction of this technique was a significant step forward in the diffraction analysis of powder samples.
, The Netherlands, on 7 March 1932. After completing Grammar School he went to Australia
and studied physics at the University of Western Australia
in Perth
.
In 1964 he obtained his PhD
degree with a thesis entitled "The Structure of p-Diphenylbenzene
and Other Compounds", a single crystal neutron
and X-ray diffraction study. This investigation was the first single crystal neutron diffraction
study in Australia
and was conducted at the nuclear reactor, HIFAR, in Sydney
.
In 1964 he became a research officer at the Netherlands
Energy Research Foundation ECN at Petten, The Netherlands, and was mainly involved in neutron powder diffraction
studies of uranates and other ceramic
compounds.
After a scientific and managerial career with ECN he retired in 1992.
in Stockholm
, 31 March 1995.
Barrett Award on behalf of the Denver X-ray
Conference Organizing Committee in Denver, U.S.
, 6 August 2003.
The Royal Award of Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau, for his outstanding contribution to the field of chemistry
. Alkmaar, The Netherlands, 28 October 2004.
Hans-Kühl-Medal 2010, awarded by Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh), Fachgruppe Bauchemie, to be handed out on 07. October 2010 in Dortmund
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
and one of the most prominent crystallographers of the 20th century. He is famous for his invention of the Rietveld refinement method, which is used for the characterisation of crystalline materials from powder diffraction data. The Rietveld refinement
Rietveld refinement
Rietveld refinement is a technique devised by Hugo Rietveld for use in the characterisation ofcrystalline materials. The neutron and x-ray diffractionof powder samples results in a pattern characterised by reflections at certain positions...
uses a least squares approach to refine a theoretical line profile (calculated from a known or postulated crystal structure) until it matches the measured profile. The introduction of this technique was a significant step forward in the diffraction analysis of powder samples.
Biography
Hugo M. Rietveld was born in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, The Netherlands, on 7 March 1932. After completing Grammar School he went to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and studied physics at the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
In 1964 he obtained his PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree with a thesis entitled "The Structure of p-Diphenylbenzene
Terphenyl
Terphenyls are a group of closely related aromatic hydrocarbons. Also known as diphenylbenzenes or triphenyls, they consist of a central benzene ring substituted with two phenyl groups. The three isomers are ortho-terphenyl, meta-terphenyl, and para-terphenyl. Commercial grade terphenyl is...
and Other Compounds", a single crystal neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
and X-ray diffraction study. This investigation was the first single crystal neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction or elastic neutron scattering is the application of neutron scattering to the determination of the atomic and/or magnetic structure of a material: A sample to be examined is placed in a beam of thermal or cold neutrons to obtain a diffraction pattern that provides information of...
study in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and was conducted at the nuclear reactor, HIFAR, in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
In 1964 he became a research officer at the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Energy Research Foundation ECN at Petten, The Netherlands, and was mainly involved in neutron powder diffraction
Powder diffraction
Powder diffraction is a scientific technique using X-ray, neutron, or electron diffraction on powder or microcrystalline samples for structural characterization of materials.-Explanation:...
studies of uranates and other ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
compounds.
After a scientific and managerial career with ECN he retired in 1992.
Awards
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Hugo M. Rietveld, the Aminoff prizeGregori Aminoff Prize
The Gregori Aminoff Prize is an international prize awarded since 1979 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in the field of crystallography, rewarding "a documented, individual contribution in the field of crystallography, including areas concerned with the dynamics of the formation and...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, 31 March 1995.
Barrett Award on behalf of the Denver X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
Conference Organizing Committee in Denver, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 6 August 2003.
The Royal Award of Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau, for his outstanding contribution to the field of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. Alkmaar, The Netherlands, 28 October 2004.
Hans-Kühl-Medal 2010, awarded by Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh), Fachgruppe Bauchemie, to be handed out on 07. October 2010 in Dortmund