I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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A.
Koko
,
S.
Singh
,
S.
Barhli
,
T.
Connolley
,
N. T.
Vo
,
T.
Wigger
,
D.
Liu
,
Y.
Fu
,
J.
Réthoré
,
J.
Lechambre
,
J.-Y.
Buffiere
,
T. J.
Marrow
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[12585]
Open Access
Abstract: The propagation rate of a fatigue crack in a nodular cast iron, loaded in cyclic tension, has been studied in situ by X-ray computed tomography and digital volume correlation. The semi-elliptical crack initiated from an asymmetric corner notch and evolved to a semi-circular shape, initially with a higher growth rate towards one edge of the notch before the propagation rate along the crack front became essentially independent of po-sition. The phase congruency of the displacement field was used to measure the crack shape. The three-dimensional stress intensity factors were calculated via a linear elastic finite element model that used the displacement fields around the crack front as the boundary conditions. Closure of the crack tip region was observed. The cyclic change in the local mode I opening of the crack tip determined the local fatigue crack propaga-tion rate along the crack front.
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May 2023
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I07-Surface & interface diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[22995]
Open Access
Abstract: Hypothesis: The attractive interaction between a cationic surfactant monolayer at the air–water interface and vesicles, incorporating anionic lipids, is sufficient to drive the adsorption and deformation of the vesicles. Osmotic rupture of the vesicles produces a continuous lipid bilayer beneath the monolayer. Experimental: Specular neutron reflectivity has been measured from the surface of a purpose-built laminar flow trough, which allows for rapid adsorption of vesicles, the changes in salt concentration required for osmotic rupture of the adsorbed vesicles into a bilayer, and for neutron contrast variation of the sub-phase without disturbing the monolayer. Findings: The neutron reflectivity profiles measured after vesicle addition are consistent with the adsorption and flattening of the vesicles beneath the monolayer. An increase in the buffer salt concentration results in further flattening and fusion of the adsorbed vesicles, which are ruptured by a subsequent decrease in the salt concentration. This process results in a continuous, high coverage, bilayer suspended 11 Å beneath the monolayer. As the bilayer is not constrained by a solid substrate, this new mimetic is well-suited to studying the structure of lipid bilayers that include transmembrane proteins.
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Mar 2023
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I11-High Resolution Powder Diffraction
I15-1-X-ray Pair Distribution Function (XPDF)
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[26379]
Abstract: Na+closo-hydroborates are a heavily researched solid electrolyte class for applications in all-solid-state Na batteries. The structural characterization of these materials is notoriously challenging due to the elements involved and the fast rotational motion of hydroborate cages. The average structures obtained by Bragg diffraction have numerous atomic positions with low occupancies, complicating the determination of actual atom–atom distances. Total average scattering and derived pair distribution functions display atom–atom distances in real space, providing additional structure information to the average crystal structure. In this work, we present the pair distribution functions of the five different Na+closo-hydroborates: Na2B10H10, Na2B12H12, NaCB11H12, and the mixtures of 1:1 Na2B12H12/Na2B10H10 and 2:1 NaCB11H12/Na2B12H12. All pair distribution functions show a fast decay of peak height with increasing atom–atom distance on the local scale, suggesting a low correlation of atom motions between hydroborate cages, as observed in various other molecular crystals. The combination of Bragg diffraction, showing the average ordering of closo-hydroborate cages, and pair distribution function analysis, providing local atom–atom distances, is a useful tool to develop a deeper understanding of the closo-hydroborates and also of other plastic crystals.
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Jan 2023
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Yuanbo T.
Tang
,
Chinnapat
Panwisawas
,
Benjamin M.
Jenkins
,
Junliang
Liu
,
Zhao
Shen
,
Enrico
Salvati
,
Yilun
Gong
,
Joseph N.
Ghoussoub
,
Stefan
Michalik
,
Bryan
Roebuck
,
Paul A. J.
Bagot
,
Sergio
Lozano-Perez
,
Chris R. M.
Grovenor
,
Michael P.
Moody
,
Alexander M.
Korsunsky
,
David M.
Collins
,
Roger C.
Reed
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23674]
Open Access
Abstract: A supersaturated phase microstructure is produced in Ni-based superalloys using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) – the cooling rate arising from the process is shown to suppress the solid-state precipitation of the phase. The response of the material to a heat treatment therefore requires new understanding at the fundamental level, since the first population of precipitate forms upon heating, in contrast to cooling from homogenisation above the solvus. Here, we have interrogated two new nickel-based superalloys designed for the L-PBF technology, both in situ and ex situ, at multiple length scales using advanced characterisation methods. First, we conducted in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction during various heat treatments to trace the evolution of the volume fraction with temperature. The first structural changes were detected at an unexpectedly low temperature of 445 °C. Second, the temperature for nucleation and its sensitivity to heating rate was studied using an electrical resistivity method. Then, the composition upon heating, isothermal holding and cooling is analysed using atom probe tomography (APT), the result is rationalised by further scanning-transmission electron microscopy and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Finally, static recrystallisation during isothermal exposure was investigated, which occurs within minutes. This work sheds light on a new strategy of tailoring microstructure for additively manufactured superalloys by manipulation of the precipitate distribution upon heating.
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Jan 2023
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B18-Core EXAFS
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[19850, 29271]
Abstract: Plasmonic catalysis has revealed improved product yield and selectivity in various chemical transformation reactions. In this report, we have investigated the effect of tertiary amine (-NR3) functionalization on the surface of hierarchically-porous zeotype (HP-AlPO-5) materials to enhance the plasmon-mediated catalysis, utilizing a combination of the plasmonic antenna (Au) and catalytic reactor (Pd) nanoparticles (NPs). The catalysts have been characterized using enhanced techniques such as HAADF-STEM, FT-EXAFS, and probe-based FT-IR to reveal the proximity and interaction between bimetallic NPs, and thermal stability of amines. Interestingly, a four-fold enhancement in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction was obtained over PdAu/HP-AlPO-5-NR3 when compared with the analogous plasmonic catalyst with no amine functionalization under visible light irradiation. A range of amines were functionalized and their influence in the nucleation, uniform growth and stabilization of catalytic active site (Pd) and formation of electron-rich species under visible light irradiation has also been investigated. The presence of tertiary amine in the nanostructured catalyst enhanced the turnover number significantly under light irradiation conditions. This study provides an enriched understanding of plasmon-driven chemistry, where the maximized reaction rate enhancement requires the existence of active metal species and the formation of electron-enriched species under light irradiation conditions.
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Jan 2023
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Krios I-Titan Krios I at Diamond
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Yang
Yang
,
Wenjuan
Zhang
,
Alexey G.
Murzin
,
Manuel
Schweighauser
,
Melissa
Huang
,
Sofia
Lovestam
,
Sew Y.
Peak-Chew
,
Takashi
Saito
,
Takaomi C.
Saido
,
Jennifer
Macdonald
,
Isabelle
Lavenir
,
Bernardino
Ghetti
,
Caroline
Graff
,
Amit
Kumar
,
Agneta
Nordberg
,
Michel
Goedert
,
Sjors H. W.
Scheres
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23268]
Open Access
Abstract: The Arctic mutation, encoding E693G in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene [E22G in amyloid-β (Aβ)], causes dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease. Here, we report the high-resolution cryo-EM structures of Aβ filaments from the frontal cortex of a previously described case (AβPParc1) with the Arctic mutation. Most filaments consist of two pairs of non-identical protofilaments that comprise residues V12–V40 (human Arctic fold A) and E11–G37 (human Arctic fold B). They have a substructure (residues F20–G37) in common with the folds of type I and type II Aβ42. When compared to the structures of wild-type Aβ42 filaments, there are subtle conformational changes in the human Arctic folds, because of the lack of a side chain at G22, which may strengthen hydrogen bonding between mutant Aβ molecules and promote filament formation. A minority of Aβ42 filaments of type II was also present, as were tau paired helical filaments. In addition, we report the cryo-EM structures of Aβ filaments with the Arctic mutation from mouse knock-in line AppNL−G−F. Most filaments are made of two identical mutant protofilaments that extend from D1 to G37 (AppNL−G−F murine Arctic fold). In a minority of filaments, two dimeric folds pack against each other in an anti-parallel fashion. The AppNL−G−F murine Arctic fold differs from the human Arctic folds, but shares some substructure.
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Jan 2023
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I20-Scanning-X-ray spectroscopy (XAS/XES)
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[25495]
Abstract: Magnetite nanoparticles possess numerous fundamental, biomedical, and industrial applications, many of which depend on tuning the magnetic properties. This is often achieved by the incorporation of trace and minor elements into the magnetite lattice. Such incorporation was shown to depend strongly on the magnetite formation pathway (i.e., abiotic vs biological), but the mechanisms controlling element partitioning between magnetite and its surrounding precipitation solution remain to be elucidated. Here, we used a combination of theoretical modeling (lattice and crystal field theories) and experimental evidence (high-resolution inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy) to demonstrate that element incorporation into abiotic magnetite nanoparticles is controlled principally by cation size and valence. Elements from the first series of transition metals (Cr to Zn) constituted exceptions to this finding, as their incorporation appeared to be also controlled by the energy levels of their unfilled 3d orbitals, in line with crystal field mechanisms. We finally show that element incorporation into biological magnetite nanoparticles produced by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) cannot be explained by crystal–chemical parameters alone, which points to the biological control exerted by the bacteria over the element transfer between the MTB growth medium and the intracellular environment. This screening effect generates biological magnetite with a purer chemical composition in comparison to the abiotic materials formed in a solution of similar composition. Our work establishes a theoretical framework for understanding the crystal–chemical and biological controls of trace and minor cation incorporation into magnetite, thereby providing predictive methods to tailor the composition of magnetite nanoparticles for improved control over magnetic properties.
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Jan 2023
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E02-JEM ARM 300CF
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[25787, 27541, 29157]
Open Access
Abstract: Single-atom catalysts (SACs) on hematite photoanodes are efficient cocatalysts to boost photoelectrochemical performance. They feature high atom utilization, remarkable activity, and distinct active sites. However, the specific role of SACs on hematite photoanodes is not fully understood yet: Do SACs behave as a catalytic site or as a spectator? By combining spectroscopic experiments and computer simulations, we demonstrate that single-atom iridium (sIr) catalysts on hematite (α-Fe2O3/sIr) photoanodes act as a true catalyst by trapping holes from hematite and providing active sites for the water oxidation reaction. In situ transient absorption spectroscopy showed a reduced number of holes and shortened hole lifetime in the presence of sIr. This was particularly evident on the second timescale, indicative of fast hole transfer and depletion toward water oxidation. Intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy evidenced a faster hole transfer at the α-Fe2O3/sIr/electrolyte interface compared to that at bare α-Fe2O3. Density functional theory calculations revealed the mechanism for water oxidation using sIr as a catalytic center to be the preferred pathway as it displayed a lower onset potential than the Fe sites. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that sIr introduced a mid-gap of 4d state, key to the fast hole transfer and hole depletion. These combined results provide new insights into the processes controlling solar water oxidation and the role of SACs in enhancing the catalytic performance of semiconductors in photo-assisted reactions.
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Jan 2023
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[14435, 15580, 15836, 15897]
Abstract: In meiosis, a supramolecular protein structure, the synaptonemal complex (SC), assembles between homologous chromosomes to facilitate their recombination. Mammalian SC formation is thought to involve hierarchical zipper-like assembly of an SYCP1 protein lattice that recruits stabilizing central element (CE) proteins as it extends. Here we combine biochemical approaches with separation-of-function mutagenesis in mice to show that, rather than stabilizing the SYCP1 lattice, the CE protein SYCE3 actively remodels this structure during synapsis. We find that SYCP1 tetramers undergo conformational change into 2:1 heterotrimers on SYCE3 binding, removing their assembly interfaces and disrupting the SYCP1 lattice. SYCE3 then establishes a new lattice by its self-assembly mimicking the role of the disrupted interface in tethering together SYCP1 dimers. SYCE3 also interacts with CE complexes SYCE1–SIX6OS1 and SYCE2–TEX12, providing a mechanism for their recruitment. Thus, SYCE3 remodels the SYCP1 lattice into a CE-binding integrated SYCP1–SYCE3 lattice to achieve long-range synapsis by a mature SC.
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Jan 2023
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
I04-Macromolecular Crystallography
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Open Access
Abstract: Spalt-like 4 (SALL4) maintains vertebrate embryonic stem cell identity and is required for the development of multiple organs, including limbs. Mutations in SALL4 are associated with Okihiro syndrome, and SALL4 is also a known target of thalidomide. SALL4 protein has a distinct preference for AT-rich sequences, recognised by a pair of zinc fingers at the C-terminus. However, unlike many characterised zinc finger proteins, SALL4 shows flexible recognition with many different combinations of AT-rich sequences being targeted. SALL4 interacts with the NuRD corepressor complex which potentially mediates repression of AT-rich genes. We present a crystal structure of SALL4 C-terminal zinc fingers with an AT-rich DNA sequence, which shows that SALL4 uses small hydrophobic and polar side chains to provide flexible recognition in the major groove. Missense mutations reported in patients that lie within the C-terminal zinc fingers reduced overall binding to DNA but not the preference for AT-rich sequences. Furthermore, these mutations altered association of SALL4 with AT-rich genomic sites, providing evidence that these mutations are likely pathogenic.
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Jan 2023
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