DIAD-Dual Imaging and Diffraction Beamline
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[41953]
Open Access
Abstract: The development of efficient recycling processes for lithium-ion battery electrode materials is essential for sustainable battery technologies. TiNb2O7 (TNO) is an attractive high-power anode material, but recycling strategies remain largely unexplored. Here, we report a direct recycling approach for TNO anodes recovered from a cycled TNO/LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 cell. We find that residual lithium in recovered TNO promotes the formation of a lithiated rutile impurity phase and Ti2Nb10O29 during thermal processing, which degrades the electrochemical performance of the recovered TNO. Structural and compositional analyses reveal the origin of these phases and guide the development of a recycling route that combines hydrothermal lithium removal with a subsequent heat treatment, preventing impurity formation. Recycled TNO produced by this method delivers high capacity, excellent rate capability, and stable performance at high current densities, achieving 279 (5) and 261 (10) mA h g−1 at 2 and 4 A g−1, respectively, comparable to commercial TNO. These results demonstrate a viable direct recycling strategy for TNO anodes.
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Sep 2026
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Kai
Zhang
,
Harry E.
Chapman
,
Imogen
Cowley
,
D. Graham
Mccartney
,
Shishira
Bhagavath
,
Samuel J.
Clark
,
Alexander
Rack
,
Robert C.
Atwood
,
Martyn A.
Jones
,
Chinnapat
Panwisawas
,
Chu Lun Alex
Leung
,
Junji
Shinjo
,
Peter D.
Lee
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[31855, 30735]
Abstract: Porosity in laser powder-based directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufactured alloy components may compromise mechanical performance. This study demonstrates how a 0.2 wt.% addition of micron-sized La2O3 particles blended with gas atomised RR1000 Ni-based superalloy powder affect pore evolution, reducing the occurrence of porosity, especially large pores. Using correlative in situ high-speed synchrotron X-ray and infrared imaging coupled with multiphysics modelling, we reveal the underlying melt flow and pore evolution behaviour with and without La2O3 additions. The particulate addition produces a pore-lean build with notably fewer large pores. We propose this occurs through two mechanisms involving La2O3 on the surface altering thermal and fluid flow conditions within the melt pool through: (i) a reduction of melt pool surface tension gradient, and (ii) an increase in melt pool absorptivity. Additionally, we find that La2O3 enhances powder capture efficiency.
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Sep 2026
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I14-Hard X-ray Nanoprobe
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38439]
Open Access
Abstract: Nanoplastic (NPl) particles are increasingly found in aquatic environments due to the long-term degradation of mismanaged plastic waste, and their uptake and accumulation in aquatic organisms are progressively reported. However, their biodistribution and spatial association with biologically relevant elements after ingestion remain poorly understood. In this study, europium-doped polystyrene NPls (Eu-doped NPls) were used as model particles to investigate their spatial distribution in Daphnia magna, a representative freshwater organism, using synchrotron-based nanoprobe X-ray fluorescence (nano-XRF). Daphnia magna neonates (<24 h old) were exposed to 5–20 mg L−1 Eu-doped NPls for 48 h and by using Eu as the tracer, their biodistribution was mapped using nano-XRF at multiple resolutions. No mortality was observed during exposure, although body length was significantly reduced relative to the control under all tested conditions (p < 0.05). Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-associated fluorescence also increased significantly at 10 and 20 mg L−1, indicating an organism-level oxidative-stress response at higher exposure concentrations. Toxicokinetic analysis revealed rapid uptake and efficient depuration, yielding a low bioconcentration factor (BCF = 0.982 L g−1). Two-dimensional nano-XRF maps showed that most Eu-associated signals were localised within gut-associated regions and spatially co-occurred with endogenous elements including Fe, Ca and K. Eu-derived signal metrics increased with external exposure concentration, with broader distribution at lower concentration and more pronounced hotspot formation at higher concentrations. ROI-based co-localisation analysis showed increasing spatial association between Eu and endogenous elements, particularly Fe, suggesting that Eu-associated signals were spatially structured within gut-associated elemental microenvironments rather than uniformly distributed. This study demonstrates that Eu-doped NPls combined with ICP-MS and synchrotron nano-XRF provide a complementary element-specific framework for linking quantitative body-burden analysis with spatially resolved biodistribution in aquatic organisms.
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Sep 2026
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I13-2-Diamond Manchester Imaging
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[37781]
Abstract: Solvent-free (dry) processing based on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibrillation is a potentially environmentally and cost-effective approach to large-scale, roll-to-roll battery electrode manufacture. We show that the PTFE fibril network controls the mechanical response of graphite-based solvent-free electrodes in compression and that the viscoelastic nature of PTFE causes significant electrode thickness recovery after calendering, known as springback. Springback may be ¿40% and may undermine the strict electrode thickness tolerance required in industrial production if poorly controlled. The impact of electrode composition and calendering temperature/speed on springback was investigated. Warm calendering emerged as an effective method to reduce electrode springback to 10% at 200 °C. Electrode compressive response comprised three mechanical regimes: (i) elastic loading, (ii) a plastic plateau, and (iii) a non-linear compaction region, which were well-described by a phenomenological foam model (PFM). Synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (XCT) at incremental compressive strains revealed dynamic porosity evolution had a three regime behaviour comprising initial elastic compression, particle rearrangement and lastly pore collapse and isolation. The dynamics of subsequent springback were described by a generalised Maxwell model (GMM) with two relaxation time constants, and the implications for production discussed.
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Sep 2026
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Ronan
Docherty
,
Sam
Riley
,
John D.
Morley
,
Evangelos
Papoutsellis
,
Antonia
Bobitan
,
Jack
Donoghue
,
Kathryn
Rankin
,
Fernando
Alvarez-Borges
,
Luis E.
Salinas Farran
,
Stefan
Michalik
,
Alexander
Liptak
,
Genoveva
Burca
,
Pierre-Olivier
Autran
,
Jonathan
Wright
,
Winfred
Kockelmann
,
Olof
Gutowski
,
Ann-Christin
Dippel
,
Martin
Von Zimmermann
,
Dorota
Matras
,
Bartlomiej
Winiarski
,
John S.
Mangum
,
Melissa
Popeil
,
Donal P.
Finegan
,
James A.
Gott
,
Daniela
Proprentner
,
Geoff
West
,
Louis F. J.
Piper
,
Hongyang
Dong
,
Matthew P.
Jones
,
Francesco
Iacoviello
,
Alice V.
Llewellyn
,
Rhodri
Jervis
,
Yuta
Kimura
,
Koji
Amezawa
,
Oki
Sekizawa
,
Mahmoud
Ardakani
,
Aigerim
Omirkhan
,
Mary P.
Ryan
,
James O.
Douglas
,
Siyang
Wang
,
Finn
Giuliani
,
Neil
Mulcahy
,
Shelly
Conroy
,
Chandramohan
George
,
Andrew M.
Beale
,
Simon
Jacques
,
Samuel J.
Cooper
,
Antonios
Vamvakeros
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[36699, 38628]
Open Access
Abstract: Battery research increasingly relies on advanced imaging, yet open access to such data remains rare, scattered across various sources, and difficult to find. The Battery Imaging Library (BIL) is the first open, curated collection of multi-modal and multi-length scale battery imaging datasets, accompanied by a searchable, FAIR-compliant website. Distinctive features include the release of raw experimental data (radiographs, sinograms, X-ray and electron diffraction patterns) together with rare operando and multi-resolution datasets. Each dataset is linked to Zenodo DOIs with metadata, ensuring persistence and citability; open-source Python scripts for preprocessing and reconstruction are also provided for various CT modalities. BIL enables algorithm benchmarking, machine learning, and teaching using experimental and industrially relevant data. By combining coverage across modalities, length scales, and chemistries with raw data accessibility and a FAIR-aligned web platform, the Battery Imaging Library provides a foundation for openness and reproducibility in battery imaging. The library is available here: https://www.batteryimaginglibrary.com
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Sep 2026
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I13-2-Diamond Manchester Imaging
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Caroline S.
Taylor
,
Hamta
Majd
,
David A.
Gregory
,
Annabelle
Fricker
,
Syed Mohammad
Daniel Syed Mohamed
,
Jonathan
Hinchcliffe
,
Emmanuel
Asare
,
Nicholas T.
Farr
,
Hussain
Alenezi
,
Gavin I.
Welsh
,
Mohan
Edirisinghe
,
Ipsita
Roy
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[33034]
Open Access
Abstract: Finding the ideal biomaterial with all required properties to replace specific tissues is an unmet challenge. In this study, twin-layered fibers with two well-established medical biomaterials, PHAs and PLA, have been produced via pressurized gyration and characterized thoroughly for surface properties, mechanical properties, and in vitro cell responses using a range of cell types for both hard and soft tissue engineering. The diameters of fibers produced ranged from 0.9 to 1.2 μm. The PHA sheath fibers increased cell attachment of live viable cells compared to PLA sheath fibers, due to their relatively higher biocompatibility, increased surface roughness, and protein adsorption. PLA, as a core, increased the stiffness and tensile strength of the fibers. This approach produced fibers in a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable manner, providing a highly effective solution to the challenging clinical need of the regeneration of tissues.
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Sep 2026
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I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38206]
Open Access
Abstract: Masonry structures predominantly work under compression; elasticity in constituent materials is therefore typically characterised during uniaxial compression tests via load and deformation measurements. In most practical applications, deformation measurements can only be conducted at the surface of the sample. To understand the influence of this restriction on characterisation results, this study conducts in-situ load tests on hydraulic lime mortar samples with both surface and volumetric imaging, using stereo cameras and synchrotron X-rays. The imaging data are processed with Digital Image and Volume Correlation algorithms (local and global) to obtain full-field displacements and strains. Deformation measurements are then used to conduct surface characterisation with the Virtual Fields Method (VFM) and volumetric characterisation with Finite Element Model Updating (FEMU). Since the inverse models indicate limited identifiability for Poisson’s ratio, only the Young’s moduli are compared. Results indicate that accurate Young’s moduli can be obtained from surface measurements, provided that through-thickness load gradients are considered by averaging VFM results from front and back faces of the sample. In addition, it is shown that a surface characterisation domain away from contacts needs to be chosen to ensure that surface strains are representative of bulk behaviour. Finally, a systematic reduction of elastic moduli with increasing loads is observed, suggesting damage development at relatively low stress levels in hydraulic lime mortars.
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Sep 2026
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I14-Hard X-ray Nanoprobe
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38366]
Open Access
Abstract: Spectro-microscopy is an experimental technique which can be used to observe spatial variations in chemical state and changes in chemical state over time or under experimental conditions. As a result it has broad applications across areas such as energy materials, catalysis, environmental science and biological samples. However, the technique is often limited by factors such as long acquisition times and radiation damage. We present two measurement strategies that allow for significantly shorter experiment times and total doses applied. The strategies are based on taking only a small subset of all the measurements (e.g. sparse acquisition or subsampling), and then computationally reconstructing all unobserved measurements using mathematical techniques. The methods are data-driven, using spectral and spatial importance subsampling distributions to identify important measurements. As a result, taking as little as 4–6% of the measurements is sufficient to capture the same information as in a conventional scan.
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Sep 2026
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B16-Test Beamline
Detectors
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Simon
Knowles
,
Darren
Ballard
,
Dominic
Banks
,
Stephen
Bell
,
Manuele
Bettelli
,
Ivan
Church
,
Alex
Dainty
,
Adam
Davis
,
Vishal
Dhamgaye
,
Oliver
Fox
,
Marcus
French
,
Thomas
Gardiner
,
Navid
Ghorbanian
,
Josh
Harris
,
Matt
Hart
,
Aswathi
Koorikkat
,
Matt
Larkin
,
John
Lipp
,
John
Matheson
,
Tim
Nicholls
,
Joseph
Nobes
,
Mark
Prydderch
,
Kawal
Sawhney
,
Matthew C.
Veale
,
Matthew D.
Wilson
,
Silvia
Zanettini
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[37914]
Open Access
Abstract: The development of fourth-generation synchrotrons, including the Diamond-II upgrade, promises 10–100× flux increases, reaching up to 1012 photons s−1 mm−2 at the detector, across a broad range of energies from 20 to 100 keV. To exploit fully these impressive photon fluxes and high X-ray energies, readout chips must achieve high frame rates and dynamic ranges, while the use of high-Z sensor materials is essential. To address these challenges, the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council has developed DynamiX, a test structure for a novel two-stage charge cancellation circuit on a 65 nm CMOS process with a dynamic range from single photon(s) per pixel per frame to >9000 photons per pixel per frame (1011–1012 photons s−1 mm−2) at 20 keV photon energy. The application-specific integrated circuit has 16 ×16 pixels on 110 µm pitch and is hybridized with 2 mm thick Redlen high-flux cadmium zinc telluride (HF-CdZnTe). Data are read out at 534000 frames per second over a 14 Gbps serialiser and frames are assembled and saved with a custom data acquisition system. Measurements were made on the Diamond Light Source (DLS) B16 Test Beamline using monochromatic X-ray beams of different sizes and energies to evaluate the detector performance. A sub-pixel beam of size ∼60 µm × ∼15 µm was used to probe pixels to measure single photons with a noise performance of σ = 5.7 ± 0.1 keV. These single photons are used to calibrate the test pulse and pixel cancellation packet sizes. The linearity of the detector response under increasing flux was measured from <1 photon per pixel per frame to ∼109 photons s−1 mm−2 at 20 keV with an r.m.s. linearity of 6.2%. A polychromatic X-ray set was used to reach higher fluxes of ∼3 × 1010 photons s−1 mm−2 (20 keV equivalent), yielding an r.m.s. linearity of 3.2%. Finally, the full sensor area was used to image a rotating slitted disc at 534000 frames per second.
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Sep 2026
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I18-Microfocus Spectroscopy
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[34404]
Open Access
Abstract: While nuclear energy contributes significantly to the global energy supply, the long-term management of radioactive waste remains challenging. Deep geological repositories, in which the waste is buried within a low-permeability host rock, are considered the safest storage option. However, hydrogen gas (H2) generated by steel container corrosion may accumulate and create an overpressure that threatens host rock integrity. Access tunnels will be filled with gas-permeable material (such as a sand-bentonite mixture) that mechanically lowers pressure by gas diffusion, but microbial H2 consumption is key to enhancing safety and cost-effectiveness. Hydrogenotrophy is well established in deep subsurface sulfate-reducing bacteria, whereas the activity of other hydrogenotrophs under H2-replete conditions remains poorly constrained. This study examines microbial H2 consumption under repository-relevant conditions in partially saturated sand-bentonite exposed to elevated H2 concentrations. Over 3 months, continuous gas composition and pressure monitoring showed rapid H2 depletion driven by its microbial oxidation coupled to sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, and iron reduction. Water saturation and electron acceptor availability strongly controlled H2 consumption rates. These results clarify the constraints on microbial H2 oxidation in deep geological repositories and inform safety assessments related to gas-induced overpressure.
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Sep 2026
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