Eva software

A small amount of each appendicolith sample was individually cut from the parent sample and visually inspected under a microscope using transmitted polarized light (magnification 10–50×). From heterogeneous samples, small domains of crystals were selected (approximate size 0.25 × 0.20 × 0.20 mm³) and mounted on a polyester loop appropriate for protein crystallography. XRD data were collected on a four-circle diffractometer using a Vantec 500 detector (Bruker, Madison, Wisconsin) equipped with Cu Kα radiation (l = 1.5478) at the UCSD X-ray Crystallography Facility. Diffraction images were merged/integrated into EVA software (Bruker, Madison, Wisconsin) and the peak positions were compared to the calculated patterns for known crystal structures to confirm sample identity.

SAXS measurements were made on a Laboratory Bruker N8 Horizon using a CuKα (λ = 0.154 nm) micro-source. The sample to detector distance was 0.6 m covering the q range between ∼0.15 to 3.7 nm⁻¹. The scattered photons after interacting with the sample were collected using a 2D Vantec-500 detector (pixel size ∼70 μm × 70 μm). Final scattering curves were obtained after data reduction and radial averaging using Bruker EVA software.

After high-temperature trials, scanning electron micrographs of steel droplets and corundum substrates are obtained by a JEOL 6490LV scanning electron microscope (JEOL Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) coupled with an INCA EDX analyzer (Oxford Instruments, Abingdon, UK), allowing quantitative analysis of microsized particles and determination of the chemical composition, to assess their interaction. SEM/EDX analyzes are performed with the following settings: thermoemission cathode LaB6, voltage 20 kV for high vacuum and 15 kV for low vacuum, high vacuum (10⁻³ Pa) for steel samples, and low vacuum (25 Pa) for corundum substrates.
Powder X-ray diffraction analyzes are carried out using a Bruker-AXS D8 Advance instrument (BRUKER, Germany) with a 2θ/θ measurement geometry and the positionally sensitive detector LynxEye under the following conditions: CuKα/Ni-filtered radiation, voltage 40 kV, current 40 mA, step mode with a step of 0.014° 2θ, total time 25 s per step and angular extent 5–80° 2θ. The data is processed by the Bruker AXS Diffrac and Bruker EVA software. The PDF-2 database (International Centre for Diffraction Data).

The PXRD patterns for ETO NC solutions were obtained using a Bruker APEX DUO diffractometer mounted with a IµS microsource and APEX II CCD Detector with CuK⍺ radiation. The ETO solution was set in a 0.7 mm capillary and flame sealed before mounting. The results were gathered as three still frames to detect 2θ from 5 to 60° with 300 s exposures and analyzed using the Bruker XRD2 Eval and Bruker EVA softwares. The PXRD examinations of ETO MC and NC powders were made using a Bruker D8-Advance X-ray diffractometer equipped with a LynxEye silicon strip detector. A copper source was used with a nickel filter leaving CuK⍺ radiation. The generator was set at 40 kV and 40 mA. The samples were scanned from 5 to 60° in 2θ with a step size of 0.03° and a counting time of 0.6 s per step. The data was evaluated using Bruker EVA software.

The phases constituting the treated Ti surfaces were determined with low-angle X-ray spectroscopy (Bruker D8 advance, Bellica, MA, USA) using an angle range from 20 to 60° with a step size of 0.02° and a step time of 1 s with a sample inclination of 1°. The obtained data were analyzed with the EVA software (Bruker, Bellica, MA, USA).