I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[40628]
Abstract: The short-range structure of the glass compositions 45SiO₂–25SrO–28Na₂O–2P₂O₅, 45SiO₂–12.5SrO–12.5CaO–28Na₂O–2P₂O₅, and 45SiO₂–25CaO–28Na₂O–2P₂O₅ was investigated using high-energy X-ray diffraction (XRD) supported by Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modelling and classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. Both RMC and MD models show good agreement with the experimental X-ray and published neutron diffraction S(Q), with only minor differences in average bond lengths and coordination numbers reflecting the characteristics of each approach. Consistent Si–O and P–O environments are observed across all compositions, confirming a similar short-range network structure. The modifier cations display composition-dependent variations: Na⁺ maintains a nearly constant coordination of ∼5, whereas Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺ show distinct trends, with Ca–O distances of 2.34–2.41 Å and coordination numbers of ∼5–6, and Sr–O distances of 2.60–2.70 Å with coordination numbers of ∼4.6–5.7. The most significant structural changes arise in the mixed-modifier glass, where the coexistence of Ca and Sr results in a cooperative modifier effect evidenced by simultaneous reductions in Ca–O and Sr–O coordination and increased network disruption. This combined high-energy XRD–RMC–MD approach provides new insight into subtle modifier–modifier interactions in multicomponent bioactive glasses.
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May 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[29929]
Abstract: Objectives: Biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HAp)-based composites are promising materials for dental restorations due to their hierarchical structure and similarity to natural dental tissues. This study aims to investigate the three-dimensional crystallographic organization of HAp within nacre-inspired composites and to evaluate how different polymers infiltrations influence the structural orientation.
Methods: Nacre-inspired HAp ceramic scaffolds were fabricated via bidirectional freeze-casting and subsequently infiltrated with different polymers, including Polyurethane (PU), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), Epoxy, and Urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA). The three-dimensional structural organization and crystallite orientation of these composites were investigated using synchrotron-based 3D SAXS tensor tomography (3D SASTT), complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX).
Results: The results reveal distinct differences in crystallite alignment among the composites. HAp/PU exhibits the highest degree of preferred orientation (∼0.7–0.8), whereas HAp/PMMA and HAp/Epoxy show lower alignment values (∼0.2–0.4). The HAp/UDMA composite displays heterogeneous orientation with localized regions of moderate alignment. SEM and EDX analyses confirm variations in lamellar morphology, polymer infiltration, and porosity distribution across the composites.
Significance: These findings demonstrate that 3D SASTT enables quantitative mapping of nanoscale crystallite orientation within bulk biomimetic scaffolds and provides new insights into the hierarchical structure of composites, supporting structural design of advanced dental restorative materials.
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May 2026
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I13-2-Diamond Manchester Imaging
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Mahendra P.
Raut
,
Andrea
Mele
,
Nicholas T. H.
Farr
,
Caroline S.
Taylor
,
David A.
Gregory
,
Jingqiong
Zhang
,
Yufeng
Lai
,
Annabelle
Fricker
,
Jon
Willmott
,
Candice
Majewski
,
Lyudmila
Mihaylova
,
Cornelia
Rodenburg
,
Ipsita
Roy
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[33034]
Open Access
Abstract: Bone tissue engineering (BTE) aims to address the challenge of repairing critical size bone defects, but effective substitutes with suitable mechanical properties and bioactivity are still needed. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), P(3HB)is a sustainable polymer with promising potential but suffers from poor mechanical properties and thermal instability. In this study, P(3HB) was reinforced with various carbon-based materials (CBMs) to evaluate thermomechanical and structural properties as well as biological responses, in composites before and after aging. CBMs with P(3HB) interactions and their spatial distribution were examined using advanced imaging, including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Secondary Electron Hyperspectral Imaging (SEHI), and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) analysis. Biological responses were assessed using various biocompatibility assays; cytotoxicity and osteogenicity with primary human osteoblasts (ECACC, 406-05a) and MG63 cells. Aged P(3HB)/inkjet composites showed a 140 % increase in Young's modulus (1.2 GPa), matching trabecular bone stiffness, with a 3 % lower processing temperature than neat P(3HB), enhancing suitability for 3D printing. SEHI revealed elevated OH (4.8 eV) and CO (5.7 eV) functional groups, resulting in increased surface hydrophilicity and promoted cellular responses. P(3HB)/inkjet demonstrated the highest cell attachment (267.5 ± 43.3 cells) and ALP activity (6.3 ± 0.7 nmol PNP/min), outperforming composites with Starbon (150.1 ± 38.3 cells, 6.1 ± 0.8 ALP) and activated carbon (103.4 ± 24.5 cells, 5.7 ± 0.5 ALP). All aged composites showed improved performance over their fresh counterparts. In contrast, TCP and neat P(3HB) exhibited the lowest levels of mineralization. 3D printing offers further potential for enhancing P(3HB)/inkjet composites through precise and bespoke scaffold design and clinical feasibility.
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Mar 2026
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DIAD-Dual Imaging and Diffraction Beamline
I14-Hard X-ray Nanoprobe
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Abstract: High-resolution characterisation of biomaterials across multiple length scales to investigate their effect on (re)mineralisation can inform the development of effective interventions for clinical conditions such as dental caries, a disease with an estimated global economic burden of approximately $245 billion. This thesis presents a multi-modal, synchrotron-based approach on novel instruments to study the role of self-assembling peptide P11-4 in dental enamel (re)mineralisation, with the aim of elucidating its mechanism of action for potential optimisation to treat early caries lesions non-invasively, and to use P11-4 as a model system for the development of a liquid flow cell that can be used to characterise biomimetic materials in situ using synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray microtomography (XMT).
X-ray fluorescence combined with differential phase contrast imaging on the I14 beamline, together with XRD and XMT on the Dual Imaging and Diffraction beamline at Diamond Light Source, along with complementary laboratory-based techniques, were employed to characterise P11-4.
P11-4 accelerated the initial kinetics of the mineralisation process compared to the control, via the provision of calcium-binding sites, and controlled the mineral deposition process, mimicking the role of enamel matrix proteins during biomineralisation. The chemical model used for artificial demineralisation to create caries-like lesions resulted in preferential demineralisation of the enamel prisms. Within the caries-like lesions, the developed flow cell demonstrated that P11-4 promoted deep remineralisation of the lesion via the gradual formation of organised apatite structures within one specific population of crystallites, likely corresponding to the prisms. The organisation of crystallites within the regenerated structure is comparable to healthy enamel, highlighting its role in restoring the organised structure lost due to caries, and its significance as a non-invasive clinical treatment.
The methodology presented in this thesis can be applied to analyse lesions and characterise other biomaterials/proteins, and the flow cell is available to other users.
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Feb 2026
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38954]
Open Access
Abstract: A simple dipeptide WR (tryptophan–arginine) in the form of salts with organic acids tartaric acid or crotonic acid is shown to form glasses through a benign preparation route by evaporation of aqueous solution. The glasses have a remarkable range of properties including moldability, high transparency across a broad range of wavelengths, and fluorescence. The glasses show self-healing and adhesive properties, and have accessible glass transition temperatures. The glasses are shown to be amorphous via small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Remarkably, the glasses are found to have a chiral structure, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Investigation of glass precursor dipeptide salt solutions shows that the glasses form from an initial unordered solution containing chiral peptide molecules. The diverse properties of the dipeptide glass materials points to a wide range of potential future applications.
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Feb 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[33542]
Open Access
Abstract: Artificial cells assembled from materials such as hydrogels have emerged as platforms to replicate and understand biological functionalities, processes, and behaviors. However, hydrogels lack a lipid membrane, a vital property of cellular systems. Here we develop a process for the assembly of a fluid and stable lipid membrane which coats the hydrogel mesh network within the particle, through electostatically-mediated fusion of nanoscale lipid vesicles. This confers cell-mimetic and biotechnologically relevant properties upon microscale, cell sized, hydrogel artificial cells generated through microfluidics. We exploit the properties of the created membrane to augment existing hydrogel properties through permeability alteration and protection of the hydrogel from small molecule degraders. Furthermore, we show that the lipid membrane is compatible with organelle substructures within the hydrogels, which enables the exploitation of an enhanced material design space to build hydrogel artificial cells that increasingly mimic the organization of cells. This platform paves the way for producing next generation artificial cells and functional microdevices from interfaced hydrogel-lipid materials. Our technologies may underpin new opportunities for integrating membranes into hydrogel-based systems, inlcuding for drug delivery and tissue engineering.
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Jan 2026
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Abdulwahhab
Khedr
,
Mohamed A. N.
Soliman
,
Alfred
Corrigan
,
Tarsem
Sahota
,
Rachel
Armitage
,
Natalie
Allcock
,
Jeyapriya T.
Jegadeesan
,
Mahetab H.
Amer
,
Reem
Alazragi
,
Zeeshan
Ahmad
,
Jacek K.
Wychowaniec
,
Mohamed A.
Elsawy
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[28287, 28806]
Open Access
Abstract: Multicomponent peptide nanostructures offer a powerful platform for designing functional materials, yet controlling their co-assembly remains a key challenge. Here, we harness electrostatic molecular recognition to drive the selective co-assembly of five amphiphilic ionic peptide binary mixtures (M1–M5). Our results revealed that charge distribution governs β-sheet strand alignment (parallel vs. antiparallel), assembly kinetics, and hydrogel viscoelasticity. Mixing stoichiometry and pH significantly influences co-assembly behavior, nanofiber morphology, and network structure (self-sorted vs. hetero-aggregated). At pH 7, equimolar mixtures undergo nucleation-driven co-assembly into hetero-aggregates, immediately forming well-defined nanofibers, while non-equimolar ratios yield altered morphologies. At a slightly acidic pH of 5–7, both E and K side chains are charged, enabling complementary ionic interactions that promote co-assembly and gelation. Outside this pH range, co-assembly is impaired. Notably, M1 forms β-sheets and hydrogels at acidic pH (≤4) via independent self-assembly of its components, suggesting self-sorted fibers. Overall, we demonstrate that tuning charge complementarity, ionization state, and stoichiometry enables precise control over the molecular, nanoscale, and mechanical properties of multicomponent peptide assemblies, providing a framework for the rational design of advanced peptide-based materials.
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Jan 2026
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38623, 40294]
Open Access
Abstract: Metastable β Ti-Nb alloys have potential as biomedical implant materials due to a low elastic modulus and good biocompatibility. However, these alloys are susceptible to the ⍵ phase transformation, which significantly stiffens the alloy. Despite this, there is limited agreement within the literature whether the form of the ⍵ phase is important in governing subsequent mechanical response. Here, this work utilises synchrotron X-ray diffraction data to conclusively demonstrates that ⍵iso significantly inhibits a mechanically driven martensitic transformation, whereas ⍵ath is seen to have a much smaller effect. This work therefore has important consequences for the design of new transforming materials.
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Dec 2025
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
labSAXS-Offline SAXS and Sample Environment Development
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Abshar
Hasan
,
Andrey
Chuvilin
,
Alexander
Van Teijlingen
,
Helena
Rouco
,
Christopher
Parmenter
,
Federica
Venturi
,
Michael
Fay
,
Gabriele
Greco
,
Nicola M.
Pugno
,
Jan
Ruben
,
Charlotte J. C.
Edwards-Gayle
,
Benjamin
Myers
,
Ingrid
Dreveny
,
Nathan
Cowieson
,
Adam
Winter
,
Sara
Gamea
,
X. Frank
Walboomers
,
Tanvir
Hussain
,
José Carlos
Rodríguez-Cabello
,
Frankie
Rawson
,
Tell
Tuttle
,
Sherif
Elsharkawy
,
Avijit
Banerjee
,
Stefan
Habelitz
,
Alvaro
Mata
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[32387]
Open Access
Abstract: Tooth enamel is characterised by an intricate hierarchical organization of apatite nanocrystals that bestows high stiffness, hardness, and fracture toughness. However, enamel does not possess the ability to regenerate, and achieving the artificial restoration of its microstructure and mechanical properties in clinical settings has proven challenging. To tackle this issue, we engineer a tuneable and resilient supramolecular matrix based on elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) that imitates the structure and function of the enamel-developing matrix. When applied as a coating on the surface of teeth exhibiting different levels of erosion, the matrix is stable and can trigger epitaxial growth of apatite nanocrystals, recreating the microarchitecture of the different anatomical regions of enamel and restoring the mechanical properties. The study demonstrates the translational potential of our mineralising technology for treating loss of enamel in clinical settings such as the treatment of enamel erosion and dental hypersensitivity.
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Nov 2025
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[21035, 29470]
Open Access
Abstract: Advanced cell therapies require robust matrices for enhanced efficacy and delivery, but fabricating cell-specific hydrogels with strong tissue adhesiveness remains challenging. Cell membrane engineering offers a non-genetic strategy to modify cell surfaces and improve therapeutic properties. This study reports an artificial membrane-binding protein (AMBP), [cat.mTG(S)], that drives in situ formation of proteinaceous hydrogels on the plasma membrane of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The AMBP is created by chemically supercharging (cationizing) microbial transglutaminase (mTG) and then electrostatically complexing it with an anionic polymer-surfactant (S). Biophysical studies confirm that this polymer surfactant complexation stabilizes the enzyme's structure and partially restores its activity lost during cationization. [cat.mTG(S)] effectively labels HDF plasma membranes with low cytotoxicity, unlike unmodified mTG (no binding) or cationized mTG (internalized). Live-cell confocal microscopy demonstrates that [cat.mTG(S)] on HDFs successfully cross-links external proteins into robust hydrogels extending beyond the cell surface and bridging cells, maintaining high cell viability. This AMBP provides a novel, non-genetic approach for localized, cell-surface engineering, enabling direct creation of protective and interactive hydrogel microenvironments for advanced cell-based therapies.
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Nov 2025
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