This issue includes our exclusive annual R&D Lab Equipment and Instrumentation Directory, a handy tool to help you quickly find the best supplier for your specific R&D needs.* The Address Index includes complete contact information for each of the suppliers listed, while the quick-search chart details the specific products offered by each company. The online version of the directory, available at http://directories.ceramicindustry.com/randddirectory, is searchable by product or category and includes extras such as hotlinks, spec sheets, and videos for select suppliers.

While our staff made every effort to contact the entire community of suppliers to our industry, we may have inadvertently missed some. If you are a supplier of equipment and instrumentation for R&D and would like to be included, please contact AnnaMarie McCann at (610) 436-4220, ext. 8518, or email mccanna@bnpmedia.com for pricing and additional details.

Materials characterization is a vital aspect of our industry; high-quality products begin with the best materials. But how can researchers, materials suppliers and ceramic manufacturers ensure that their materials meet the requirements? As Dan Davis and Robert H. Clifford write in this issue, “X-ray spectrometry is used in the ceramic industry in many ways, from identifying raw materials to quantifying minerals and contaminants in these materials…”

X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence both offer advantages, but using a combination of these techniques can help provide a broader understanding. To learn more, read "X-Ray Analysis of Ceramics" and listen to my podcast with Dan Davis, which is available on our podcast page.

*Supplier listings indicate paid advertising. Contact AnnaMarie McCann at mccanna@bnpmedia.com for pricing and additional details.