New theme at LINXS: New Materials for Energy and Sustainability!
LINXS is pleased to announce that New Materials for Energy and Sustainability has been approved as a LINXS theme from 2020-09-01 to 2023-12-31.
– The new theme is a great complement to our existing themes with its focus on hard matter and will expand LINXS community into new areas. It is both scientifically interesting and extremely relevant to current global challenges. Global demand for energy is rapidly increasing, and the need for more efficient and reliable sustainable energy sources remains one of our greatest challenges, says Stephen Hall, Director of LINXS.
The new theme, led by Elizabeth Blackburn, Professor in Physics at the Division of Synchrotron Radiation Research at Lund University, aims to push forward the development and characterization of new materials with potential future applications in the fields of energy and sustainability. The theme will bring together experts in characterization methods using neutrons and x-rays with material development experts.
– With our theme, we want to explore how new hard materials may help to contribute to a sustainable transition, especially in terms of characterisation of materials and sampling. We will focus on bringing together our various areas of expertise, and explore both neutrons and x-ray techniques, says Elizabeth Blackburn.
Five working groups
The theme will divide its work into five working groups: functional magnetic materials, charge transfer materials, light harvesting processes, catalysis, and nanostructures and interfaces.
Each groups has identified a set of questions that will guide their work:
– We have tried to identify scientific questions where a network approach can be helpful. This set-up, we think, is both in spirit of LINXS’ work practices, and a way to create collaborations between different experts, says Elizabeth Blackburn.
Examples of the questions that the new theme will address include: what are the structural and chemical process that occur during the operation of electrochemical devices such as batteries? How does the combination of viscosity and polarizability influence the structural re-orientation of light sensitizers/polymers, and how can this influence be used to extend the charge separation lifetime? Other key goals include achieving a fundamental understanding of the function of catalysts for the development of sustainable industrial processes, and developing magnetic imaging through optimised experimental, data reduction and analysis protocols.
Whilst the initial structure and goals of the Theme have been well defined in the proposal, there is also scope for new initiatives and working groups, as the theme wants to capture new ideas as people get interested and engaged in the work.
– Overall, the theme is a great opportunity to explore different research areas, with researchers who are all interested in finding answers to some common problems. You cannot work in isolation, research moves forward by collaboration: across groups, fields, and countries. That is what really excites me: to work together to find out things that could be of benefit to many, says Elizabeth Blackburn.
Tools, protocols and transdisciplinarity
When asked what Elizabeth Blackburn would like to see at the end of the theme period, she responds.
– I hope we will have answered some of the questions we have identified as key. We would also like to develop tools and guidelines for how to use some of the tools and techniques available. I think that would be of great help to others.
– I also hope to advance the transdisciplinary aspect: that this theme will have succeeded in bringing people together from the different areas – to show that you can work on something new! Our secondary goal is that this theme will go some way to make people aware of what techniques are available, and how to pick the right technique for the job, she concludes.
Elizabeth Blackburn, Professor in Physics at the Division of Synchrotron Radiation Research at Lund University. Photo: Kennet Ruona.