I09-Surface and Interface Structural Analysis
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[36180]
Abstract: Cr2GaC/C and V2PC/C MAX phase composites were synthesized via a free-radical polymerization–pyrolysis route, achieving > 87 wt% crystalline MAX phase content. SEM/EDS confirms the expected 2:1 atomic ratios of Cr:Ga and V:P, while BET analysis reveals structures with specific surface areas of 344 and 282 m2 g−1 for the Cr2GaC/C and V2PC/C composites, respectively, which are attributed to the porous carbonaceous network. HAXPES verifies core-level signatures consistent with the targeted MAX phases. This approach demonstrates the versatility of sol–gel-derived free-radical polymer networks as reactive precursors for MAX phase formation. The method further provides a foundation for advanced processing strategies, including vat photopolymerization-based additive manufacturing of high-surface-area and complex MAX phase architectures.
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Sep 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[39235]
Open Access
Abstract: Well-defined diblock copolymer nanoparticles are prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in a poly(α-olefin) oil at 90°C using a poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA) precursor. The PHEMA cores of these nanoparticles are subsequently swollen with up to 30% w/w aqueous 0.3 M HCl based on the PHEMA mass and then used as nanoreactors for the in situ synthesis of silica or titania using either tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) or titanium tert-butoxide, respectively. The PLMA-PHEMA nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The former technique indicates that core-swelling leads to a subtle change in copolymer morphology from pseudo-spherical to perfectly spherical nanoparticles. DLS and SAXS confirm the formation of near-monodisperse nanoparticles of 92–117 nm diameter with colloidal stability being retained after the nanoreactor syntheses. For the silicified nanoparticles, time-resolved turbidimetry and SAXS studies suggest a reaction timescale of around 50 min at 25°C. In this case, the final nanoparticle dispersion is highly transparent, whereas the corresponding titania-loaded nanoparticles produce a highly turbid dispersion. Thermogravimetric analyses indicate silica and titania mass loadings of 17% and 21%, respectively. In both cases the inorganic phase is amorphous rather than crystalline.
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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):
[36356]
Open Access
Abstract: Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) can significantly enhance the solubility of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). However, the typical thermodynamic instability of ASDs is a significant barrier to commercial success, and understanding API recrystallization behavior is crucial for enhancing stability. While most techniques do not allow the effective exploration of early-stage crystallization, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has shown promise in the study of nanoscale drug domains in polymer–drug composite materials. In this study, aspirin was incorporated in electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers at loadings from 10–30% w/w. Electron microscopy revealed the fibers to have smooth surfaces and diameters of 2–3 μm. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry revealed the presence of crystalline drug at 20 and 30% loadings. Infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of intermolecular interactions between the drug and the polymer; however, these interactions were insufficient to completely inhibit drug crystallization when the drug was supersaturated. SANS revealed heterogeneous nanoscale structures within the fibers, characterized by concentration-dependent drug-rich domains in the polymeric matrix. Their precise solid-state nature (amorphous versus crystalline) could not be determined by SANS, though X-ray diffraction indicated the presence of crystalline material at higher drug loadings. The SANS data also indicated the growth of drug aggregates after exposure to water. In vitro drug release tests suggested that the size of the drug domains could influence drug release behavior. Overall, this study provides a number of new insights into the crystallization of APIs in electrospun ASDs, which can be used to help guide the future development of more effective medicines.
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Aug 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Keenan
Smith
,
Antonela
Gallastegui
,
Zixuan
Yu
,
Yuliana
Pairetti
,
Andrew
Seel
,
Jacques
Ollivier
,
Victoria
Garcia Sakai
,
Bob C.
Schroeder
,
Maria
Forsyth
,
Aurelie
Gueguen
,
David
Mecerreyes
,
Fabrizia
Foglia
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[36252]
Open Access
Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membranes composed of ionic liquids (IL), capable of conducting protons efficiently at elevated temperatures, without external humidification, could transform fuel cell technology. However, the molecular origins of such proton transport remain poorly understood, especially in the polymerized state. Here, we directly visualize a hierarchy of coupled elementary proton motion steps spanning picosecond to nanosecond timescales in polyIL membranes using pulse field gradient (PFG) NMR and multi-resolution quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS). Polymer dynamics comprise three-site jumps within methanesulfonate coordination shells, two-site hops along hydrogen-bond chains, and out-of-plane backbone flips which dynamically reconfigure the proton transfer pathway. The latter facilitates a correlated polymer-proton hopping mechanism above 60°C enabling rapid nano- and microscale proton transport at operational temperatures. Even trace water plasticizes the polymer and remarkably lowers this proton hopping barrier by nearly half. A critical transition occurs near 245 K, where water forms a continuous hydrogen-bonded network of acid-base pairs, enabling sub-10 ps Grotthuss proton hopping, approaching liquid water dynamics. This molecular-level understanding provides fundamental insight into polyIL conduction mechanisms and the long-standing question of how solid polymers achieve liquid-like proton mobility, providing a roadmap for polyILs in next-generation electrochemical energy technologies.
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Aug 2026
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[38021]
Abstract: Self-assembling peptides (SAPs) provide a versatile, biocompatible platform for soft biomaterials, but their application in mechanically robust, processable polymers remains limited. We report a peptide–polyethylene glycol (PEG) multiblock copolymer (MBCP) using the amphipathic β-sheet-forming SAP K(FEFK)2K as a physical cross-linker. Synthesized via copper-free strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC), the MBCP was solution-cast from water into free-standing films whose properties were governed by the peptide’s ability to form stable β-sheet fibers and aggregates. Films were tough and plastic at room temperature, but elastomeric above PEG’s melting point (>60 °C). At high temperature, a micro- and nano-scale phase-separated morphology emerged, with peptide fiber-rich domains embedded in a soft, amorphous PEG matrix. At room temperature, only microphase separation persisted, while PEG crystallization produced a semicrystalline matrix in which peptide fibers restricted large crystal growth and were likely segregated at crystallite interfaces. Extensive mechanical testing revealed resilient films with shape-recovery behavior.
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Aug 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[30847, 26958]
Open Access
Abstract: Amphiphilic polymer conetworks (APCNs) are thin, flexible and breathable matrices with a heterogeneous nano-phase separated morphology, making them ideal candidates for applications such as wearable luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) for sunlight harvesting. Such materials should possess a well-defined morphology, with domains at the nanoscale that allow the incorporation of luminophores at specific volumes. This improves the efficiency of Förster resonance energy transfer, a feature essential for state-of-the-art LSC systems. Although APCNs have been developed and investigated extensively over recent decades for different applications, we now focus on the specificities of using APCNs for LSCs, and how it influences the design process. We found that the phase ratio of an APCN strongly affects its transition temperature and hence, the extent of its influence on the mechanical properties at room temperature. Similarly, although the chemistry of the hydrophobic domain influences the mechanical properties, the extent of these changes depends on the molecular weights of the precursors. We also demonstrated that Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) a suitable alternative method of investigate in the morphology and phase separation in APCNs for which the phase contrast is too low for small- angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small- angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). In-situ strain SAXS measurements indicated that the macroscopic deformation is reflected at the deformation of the nanoscale domains. Taken together, these results help to design APCNs with tunable morphologies and mechanical properties and suggest alternative characterization methods, which contribute to revealing the full property space of APCNs for applications in energy harvesting and beyond.
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Aug 2026
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I07-Surface & interface diffraction
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Qichun
Gu
,
Tianjun
Liu
,
Yucheng
Xu
,
Xinjuan
Li
,
Yunzhou
Deng
,
Yang
Lu
,
Youcheng
Zhang
,
Zimu
Wei
,
Xinyu
Bai
,
Capucine
Mamak
,
Yutong
Han
,
Alessandro J.
Mirabelli
,
Weidong
Xu
,
Jian
Mao
,
Caterina
Ducati
,
Henning
Sirringhaus
,
Samuel D.
Stranks
,
Miguel
Anaya
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[32266]
Open Access
Abstract: Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are promising low-cost, solution-processable, and color-pure optoelectronic devices for display and lighting applications. However, blue PeLEDs continue to lag their green and red counterparts in terms of luminance and operational lifetime, limiting their practical implementation. The performance disparity primarily arises from charge injection imbalance, which accelerates degradation at the perovskite/hole transport layer (HTL) interface under electrical bias. Here, we design a polymer blend HTL comprising poly(N-vinyl-2,7-difluoro-carbazole) (PVK-F) and poly(bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine) (PTAA), in which strengthened van der Waals interactions promote denser molecular packing. This optimized microstructure simultaneously enhances hole mobility and wettability, enabling high-quality perovskite film formation. Consequently, PeLEDs emitting at 485 nanometers achieve an external quantum efficiency of 24.1% and luminance exceeding 26,000 candela per square meter. Moreover, the improved hole injection mitigates interfacial degradation, yielding an operational half-lifetime exceeding 700 minutes at an initial luminance of 100 candela per square meter. This work establishes polymer blending as an effective strategy for advancing the performance and stability of blue PeLEDs.
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Aug 2026
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B21-High Throughput SAXS
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Bridget
Tang
,
Philip
Kitchen
,
Luke M.
Broadbent
,
Steven D.
Quinn
,
Nawal
Hassan
,
Siriporn
Chaimueangchuen
,
Barbara
Gerbelli
,
Katsuaki
Inoue
,
Nathan
Cowieson
,
Fátima
Herranz-Trillo
,
Alice J.
Rothnie
,
Roslyn M.
Bill
,
Paul D.
Topham
,
Alan D.
Goddard
,
Jacob J. K.
Kirkensgaard
,
Matthew J.
Derry
,
Andreas Haahr
Larsen
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[39511]
Open Access
Abstract: Amphiphilic copolymers have emerged as powerful, detergent-free tools for solubilizing biological membranes, enabling the extraction and stabilization of membrane proteins within native-like lipid environments. We report a comprehensive, multi-technique elucidation of how polymer:lipid stoichiometry governs the formation, size, and stability of styrene-maleic acid lipid particles (SMALPs). Using commercial SMA2000, a styrene-maleic acid copolymer made using free radical polymerization and 1,2-ditetradecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) as a model phospholipid, we prepared SMALPs across a wide range of polymer-to-lipid weight ratios and employed an integrated suite of orthogonal characterization methods, including size exclusion chromatography (SEC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), flow-induced dispersion analysis (FIDA), mass photometry, ensemble and time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), to establish the structural consequences of varying polymer content. Our data reveal that efficient lipid solubilization into nanodiscs requires a minimum amount of polymer. Above ~1% (w/v) SMA2000: 1% DMPC, well-defined nanodiscs of ~10 nm diameter are formed that, on average, exhibit a consistent stoichiometry of ~130 lipids encircled by ~11 polymer chains. Through a new molecularly-constrained SAXS model, we show that these nanodiscs possess a stable bilayer height across variations in polymer to lipid ratio and a narrow polymer belt, and that their structural parameters remain invariant once excess polymer is used. In contrast, insufficient polymer (<1% w/v) generates bimodal populations including substantially larger discs. Notably, nanodiscs formed at optimal polymer:lipid ratios remain structurally stable for at least two months. Together, these results provide a rigorous quantification of SMALP composition and preferred size, enhancing our understanding of polymer-lipid nanodisc formation and offering critical design rules for detergent-free membrane protein extraction.
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Jul 2026
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I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
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Johanna
Heimonen
,
Cecilia
Bruschi
,
Asaminew Y.
Shimolo
,
Marle E. J.
Vleugels
,
Lukas
Marcos Celada
,
Sozan
Darabi
,
Viktor
Gueskine
,
Daniel
Primetzhofer
,
Christian
Müller
,
Bence
Fehér
,
Peter
Olsén
,
Renee
Kroon
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[39422]
Open Access
Abstract: The transition to sustainable electronics requires electroactive materials that are processable in green solvents, operationally stable, and recyclable or recoverable at their end of life. This work explores recoverable electroactive cellulose coatings using a carboxylate-functionalized polar polythiophene (PCAT-K). PCAT-K is water-processable and can be reversibly fixated onto cellulose threads by modulation of the secondary interactions via acid–base chemistry, showing promise for circular material use. To obtain electrically conducting PCAT-K-cellulose threads, acid-mediated oxygen doping of the PCAT-K with p-toluenesulfonic acid was explored but led to undesired covalent cross-linking and loss of solubility and recoverability. Through spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses, it is shown that the covalent cross-linking originates from hydrogen peroxide generation during the doping process, which further reacts with PCAT to form hydroxyl radicals. To suppress radical formation, potassium iodide is introduced as a benign additive that catalytically decomposes hydrogen peroxide, preventing covalent cross-linking while maintaining electrical conductivity and recoverability. While the additive can negatively affect cellulose substrates at long doping times, this strategy allows for stable, conductive, and removable electroactive coatings on cellulose threads using water as the sole solvent. This study highlights a more reliable synthetic route to the water-processable conjugated polymer PCAT-K and suggests a mechanistic origin of acid-mediated oxygen doping-induced covalent cross-linking with a practical strategy to overcome it.
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Jul 2026
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