The New Materials theme advanced the analysis of SANS data, educated new XAS users and strengthened science - industry collaboration

Systematising the analysis of magnetic small angle neutron scattering data; educating new users in X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and fostering bonds between fundamental scientists and industry. These are just some of the many achievements of the New Materials theme at LINXS, which formally ended in 2023.

A woman. Photo. — Elizabeth Blackburn led the New Materials theme during its time at LINXS.

The theme aimed to forward the development and characterization of new materials with potential future applications in the fields of energy and sustainability – by bringing together experts in neutron and X-ray characterization methods with experts in material development.

Looking back at the theme’s work, which got off to a challenging start due to the covid-19 pandemic, theme leader Professor Elizabeth Blackburn and working group leaders Sara Blomberg, Jens Uhlig and Maria Messing all feel that they reached many of their milestones.

Systematizing the analysis of SANS data using open software

Elizabeth Blackburn who also led the working group Functional Magnetic Materials, is especially proud of its efforts to advance methods to treat and analyse small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data from magnetic materials. This includes systematizing the analysis of magnetic neutron small angle data using existing open-source software packages. Led by working group member Dr Annika Stellhorn at the ESS, the aim is to make it easier for researchers to analyse SANS experiments without having to rely on specific individuals.

– SANS is a great technique for the characterization of magnetic materials, but its use is still quite low among researchers. I am convinced that our work will not only make the technique accessible to many more researchers, but also improve the data output from neutron experiments with focus on magnetic materials, says Elizabeth Blackburn, professor at the Division of Synchrotron Radiation Research, Lund University.

She also highlights how valuable it has been for the theme to able to host guest researchers for promoting discussion and new ideas. These guests have come from a range of backgrounds, and the visit by doctoral student Michael Adams, provided a great spur for collaboration.

– Indeed, he has then spent time visiting another one of our visitors, Prof. Andrew Boothroyd, at Oxford University, and will soon be graduating!

An important platform to bring researchers on catalysis together

Sara Blomberg was leader for the Catalysis group.

Catalysis working group leader, Sara Blomberg, associate senior lecturer at the Division of Chemical Engineering, Lund University, highlights the collaborations and networks formed during the years at LINXS; resulting in new research projects and many beamtime applications.

She notes that the openness of the LINXS’ model, where one could steer the direction of the research and work within the parameters of the theme, proved very beneficial, as did the professional administrative and communicative support from LINXS.

– The theme gave me a platform to create a network focused on tackling current challenges related to catalysis. Through our various workshops, I could bring researchers at different career levels together, and form important bonds with industry.

The working group’s collaboration with guest researcher Jason Weaver, Professor in Chemical Engineering, from Florida University, in the USA, was a special highlight, since his stay enabled focused discussion within the group, and helped grow the network with people outside of Lund and Sweden.

This network has been absolute key in securing several beamtimes at MAX IV but also several other large-scale facilities, according to Sara Blomberg. They have focused on situ-experiments, with an aim to increase the fundamental understanding of catalysis, and have covered both electrochemistry and thermal catalysis.

Bridging the gap between fundamental science and industry

– We set out to investigate issues related to how one can make catalyst materials more efficient and form a strong base for further catalysis research, and I definitely feel that we have succeeded.

Another outcome she is glad of is how the working group has bridged the gap between fundamental science and industries working with catalysis.

– This is something I’m personally very proud of. In the end, we want our results to be applicable, and industry can help guide us scientists in terms of what questions we should ask, and how we should design our experiments to mimic industrial conditions, says Sara Blomberg.

Enabling new users to perform X-ray experiments and identifying new approaches

For Jens Uhlig, senior lecturer at the Division of Chemical Physics at Lund University, and working group leader of the Charge Transfer and Light Harvesting working groups, the X-ray absorption spectroscopy schools (XAS) stand out as the most important impact from the period at LINXS.

Jens Uhlig was working group leader for the Charge Transfer and Light Harvesting working groups.

The two schools gathered 20 participants each and focused on training new and early users to design, plan, prepare, perform and analyse an X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiment at a synchrotron beamline. XAS can be used within a wide range of scientific areas and serves as an entry point into other complementary techniques.

– More than half of the participants are now active users at MAX IV and other synchrotrons. To me this is a great outcome. It shows that practice coupled with theory on how to plan and prepare an X-ray experiment, really can help researchers getting started.

He emphasizes that the schools, as well as other working group activities, have progressed discussion of complementary techniques for successful beamtime experiments, as well as of sample handling and preparation amongst new and early users. They have also helped identify new approaches for many fields, for example within corrosion, where some participants researching corrosion had never used XAS beforehand.

– I think the biggest lever you can have is to enable people to use new tools to answer scientific problems. That is why I chose an educational approach within the theme. I also believe it is beneficial to host these schools at a place like LINXS, as opposed to a synchrotron, who will have focus on a specific beamline.

Many beamtimes and beamtime applications

Apart from the schools, he notes the new contacts, collaborations and scientific insights as big positives from the theme duration. Through conversations with different researchers attending the theme’s and other LINXS’ activities, he now works with projects he probably wouldn’t have initiated otherwise, such as his current work on Photoelectro Catalysis.

He was also able to collaborate on many beamtime proposals and more than 50 beamtimes as a result of his role as working group leader. They have mainly focused on solvation dynamics.

– LINXS is important both as an intellectual hub and as a physical space. By being present, and being where people can meet you, you open up to new ideas, improved contact and sometimes completely new collaboration.

He continues:

– For me personally, the work at LINXS made me completely change my research direction: from supporting work on molecular systems to now creating a strongly interdisciplinary research environment on Bio-hybrid Photoelectrocatalysis.

LINXS has been an important hub for scientific meetings

Maria Messing, professor at the Division of Solid State Physics, Lund University, who led the Nanostructures and Interfaces working group, also highlights LINXS’ important role as a hub for different scientists, united by their research interest in X-rays and neutrons, to meet.

Her working group had a smaller role in the theme, mainly focused on making and characterizing catalytic nanomaterials.

Through the theme, she made many connections with people working on similar science; and also got to perform a range of interesting characterization experiments, mainly focusing on understanding the link between properties and performance of magnetic and catalytic nanoparticle-based materials.

– The most important thing is to facilitate a space to make a connection. If the scientific question is interesting enough, the interest will be there to continue.