X-ray powder diffraction is a method based on the diffraction of X-ray light by crystalline solids. Crystalline materials are characterised by long-range order. When an X-ray beam hits a crystal, scattering occurs. The result of the measurements are diffractograms, which are used to identify the substances. Each crystalline phase has a unique powder diffractogram that allows us to qualitatively analyse different fortresses. The main aim of the thesis was the analysis of foundry sands consisting mainly of crystalline materials. In my thesis, I analysed 12 different samples of sands used in foundry processes in terms of their composition and complexity. The diffractograms were processed and compared using X'Pert HighScore Plus. Using this programme, I grouped the samples based on equal peaks. The components in the samples were then identified using Crystallographica Search-Match, comparing the diffractograms of the samples to the standards in the PDF database. For more complex samples, I performed quantitative analysis with Topas, which I used for Rietveld fitting. For some samples, I was unable to fully identify all peaks because some compounds were present in insufficient amounts or as admixtures. The reason for the non-identification may also be that the compounds are amorphous and are not visible in the diffractograms, but cause a higher background. The composition of the foundry sands that were determined was consistent with the literature data.
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