Tag: X-ray

Next MCF Image Contest in live until June 30, 2024!

1st place - The Beauty of Cancer Cells
1st place from the last image contest: Aref Valipour, F. Sarioglu Group Hitachi SU 8230 SEM

The Materials Characterization Facility hosts a running image contest that resets bimonthly. The current image contests will run through June 30, 2024.  In addition to displaying some of the imaging and analysis capabilities of our labs, it gives our users a chance to display their creative side. Check back here the first week of each month for updates on submission and in June we will announce our annual winners.

To submit your images, please go here!

https://gatech.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1934698

More information on the contest, rules, and how to make submissions can be found here

https://mcf.gatech.edu/news/

Example of Previous Submissions and Winners

https://mcf.gatech.edu/monthly-image-contest-results/

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Symposium on January 5th and 6th, 2023

The Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) is pleased to announce that in January, in collaboration with Rigaku, we will be hosting a workshop on X-ray Diffraction. January 5th will feature seminars from researchers and faculty at Georgia Tech and across the southeast including but not limited to Clemson, Emory, Florida State University, and JSNN. January 6th will feature hands on training and application of techniques and showing off the capabilities of the tools and the software.

Registration information will be posted on the MCF (mcf.gatech.edu) website as well on the Rigaku website.

https://events.rigaku.com/symposium-gt-2023/registration

We look forward to seeing you at our workshop in the New Year!

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) at the MCF

Elemental map of a chip

The MCF is pleased to announce the installation of its latest X-Ray tool, the Bruker Tornado X–Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. Featuring two sources, two detectors, and an automatic stage with micron-level positioning accuracy; the XRF is capable of measuring elements from C to U with a spot size down to 20um for high resolution elemental mapping of materials and devices.

In addition, advanced software packages: XMethod – for layer thickness calculation and AMICS – for automated mineral determination are available to users for sample analysis. 

More information about the instrument and its capabilities will be updated on its webpage.

The tool is currently available for use and is available for requests for training on SUMS.

If you have questions about its capabilities please contact David Tavakoli: atavakoli6@gatech.edu

New Rigaku Miniflex in the MCF

Demonstrations this Friday, August 12, 3:00-6:00PM

Interior View of Miniflex

The benchtop XRD from Rigaku is now available for use in the MCF and is on SUMS! More information about the instrument can be found here! This Friday, August 12, from 3:00-6:00, David Tavakoli will be demonstrating the capabilities of the newest XRD on campus. If you have samples you would like to try or are curious and want to know more, please make an appointment.

Rigaku Virtual Conference on XRD and XRF August 4-6!

Rigaku will be hosting a virtual conference on XRD and XRF this week that is free to register here!

Due to the COVID-19 induced cancellations of the Microscopy & MicroAnalysis, Denver X-ray, and American Crystallographic Association physical conferences this summer, Rigaku will be live webcasting a 3-day virtual Analytical X-ray Convention from our laboratory facility in Texas. The webcasts will take place Tuesday 8/4 – Thursday 8/6 and will feature live seminars on X-ray techniques and live instrument demonstrations.

Enjoy the presentations on Channel 1 (XRD), Channel 2 (XRF) and Channel 3 (X-ray Microscopy), and make sure to stop by our Concierge Booth on Channel 4 to say hello, live video chat, and participate in some fun events. We will be announcing upcoming Channel 4 events on the channel itself and via our Rigaku twitter feed (@rigaku, hashtag #RAXC2020), which you can view see on the right to keep up to date with what is going on.

Check the starting times for each day in the program, as different channels have different starting times. All four channels will be broadcast simultaneously and you can move among the four booths using the channel links.

Note that the three guest presentations—to be given by Rigaku sponsors—will all take place on channel 3. This has been updated on the program schedule.

Webinar: Focus on Battery Research: Studying Battery Cathode Materials Using X-Ray Diffraction

Tuesday, April 22: 10:30-11:30AM.

The cathode in a lithium-ion battery undergoes unique electrochemical reactions as lithium enters and leaves the atomic structure of the intercalated lithium compound. The intricacies of this reaction are one source of degradation and, therefore, an opportunity to improve performance. X-ray diffraction and scattering is well-suited to study these atomic phase changes, as well as a tool to understand and optimize the pathways that lithium uses to move through the cathode. However, studying battery materials requires special considerations that are different than the routine powder diffraction measurement.

This webinar, hosted by Malvern PANalytical will review the information that X-ray diffraction and scattering provides and discuss special considerations for experimental design such as selecting an X-ray tube, measurement geometry, and sample holder. We will then show examples of how these considerations are applied to cathode material analysis, including Rietveld refinement to quantify phase mixtures and atomic structure, pair distribution function analysis to examine local structural defects, and phase analysis of thick (10mm) commercial pouch cells, and in operando analysis of LFP based batteries to track phase changes during discharge and charging.

You can sign up for it here.

Speakers

Dr. Scott Speakman – Principal Scientist Malvern Panalytical
and Dr. Reeves-McLaren of The University of Sheffield

More information

– Who should attend?
Those working within the field of battery research or manufacturing or anyone interested in X-ray Diffraction of materials.
– What will you learn?
You will be educated on the X-ray diffraction and scattering application of lithium-ion batteries, including: Electrochemical reactions and atomic phase changes, with discussion on the special considerations needed for this application.

 

New XANES/XAFS System Coming to the MCF!

The MCF is getting a new instrument capable of X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) and X-Ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES).

This laboratory system for XAFS features a 1-2 kW conventional x-ray tube coupled to modern x-ray optics and detectors. It provides very rapid transmission-mode measurements suitable for research and development in electrical energy storage or catalysis while also giving extremely high throughput for general sample characterization or product testing. More details about the instrument can be found here from the instrument manufacturer.

 

Georgia Tech is hosting a workshop on XANES/XAFS techniques with an overview on Wednesday, December 11th and you can RSVP for that event here!

 

 

MCF is adding another XRD!

X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is a powerful tool to look at crystals for characterizing microstructural and crystallographic properties of powders, thin films, fibers and other solid materials. The MCF has recently added another XRD, a Malvern PANalytical MPD to its capabilities. This XRD has a flat sample stage (default) for the analysis of powders and small solids, a non-ambient stage capable of running from -196C-450C, and a reflectivity stage. It should be on SUMS no later than 8/12/2019!

Image result for ford xrd gatech

Webinar: Characterizing liposome formation, structure and stability with complementary techniques

If you are interested in characterizing both biological and synthetic nanoparticles, then join us for a free webinar. We will look at optimal conditions for extruding liposomes and will analyze their stability under different conditions. Our aim is to further educate the public about the intricacies of liposome formation and characterization as measured by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) from the NanoSight product range, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS/ELS) from the Zetasizer product range, and small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) from the X-ray analytical product range within Malvern Panalytical.

This webinar will be on display in the lobby of the MCF in the Marcus Building.

Webinar details:
Title: Characterizing liposome formation, structure and stability with complementary techniques
Time: 1:00 PM (GMT-05:00) Eastern [New York]
Duration: 60 minutes
Presenters: Ragy Ragheb, technical specialist at Malvern Panalytical and
Joerg Bolze, product specialist XRD at Malvern Panalytical

Crystalmaker Software Suite

The MCF has acquired a site license for Georgia Tech for the Crystalmaker Software Suite (Crystalmaker, CrystalDiffract, and Single Crystal) for mac and windows. This is a powerful software package that allows you to create CIF patterns of materials as well as nice images of your crystals for presentations/publications.

If you aren’t familiar with it, more information can be found here:

http://www.crystalmaker.com/

We are going to be hosting it on the OIT website in the near future, but if you would like to get your new licenses for next year or get a copy of it before we host it there, please contact me.

-David-