Why does SSCI use X-ray Powder Diffraction as the preferred first method of solid sample analysis?
XRPD is preferred over Raman spectroscopy at SSCI for first-pass evaluation of polymorph screen samples because experience teaches that it has a low miss rate, it can be applied to large and small samples in various containers, it allows easy identification of mixtures, particularly when one component is non-crystalline, and the resulting data can provide structural information.
