Category: ALBA

Towards ALBA II: A new high-stability girder system

Towards ALBA II: A new high-stability girder system

The ALBA Synchrotron has developed a new girder system designed to meet the demanding mechanical stability requirements of ALBA II, the upcoming upgrade of the facility. These girders are key structures that support magnets, vacuum chambers, and diagnostic systems while ensuring their precise alignment along the accelerator.

In particle accelerators, girders are critical mechanical structures that must maintain the position of components with micrometre accuracy, while suppressing drifts and vibrations that could degrade beam quality. Even minimal vibrations or mechanical deviations can affect the trajectory and properties of the electron beam, having a large impact on the photon beam at the beamlines.

These girders must provide an excellent stability against external vibrations and good thermal stability, including high adjustment precision, with acceptable manufacturing costs.

While the current ALBA storage ring operates with 264 magnets distributed in 32 girders, the future machine will integrate 760 magnets in 80 girders within the same circumference, dramatically increasing the density of components, with distance between magnets as small as 10 mm. Such compactness introduces additional constraints like tighter spatial tolerances between components, and reduced margins for alignment errors.

To address these challenges, the new girder system must achieve positioning accuracies on the order of 50 micrometres between adjacent magnets, while maintaining long-term stability despite environmental and structural changes, such as slab deformation or temperature changes.

Read more on the ALBA website

Image: Girder Prototypes installed at the ALBA experimental hall with dummy magnets ready for testing

Credit: ALBA

ALBA used to identify optimal processing methods for extracting nutrients from seaweed

ALBA used to identify optimal processing methods for extracting nutrients from seaweed

Researchers from the Food Science Research Institute (CIAL, CSIC-UAM), in collaboration with the ALBA Synchrotron, have characterized the composition and nanoscale architecture of the cell walls of two edible seaweeds: Ulva lacinulata (sea lettuce) and Porphyra dioica (nori). By combining different techniques, including Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) at the ALBA synchrotron, they revealed how their molecular organization dictates how nutrients are stored and released.

Seaweeds are gaining attention as a sustainable food source, especially as demand grows for alternatives to animal protein. They are rich in nutrients such as essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, accessing these nutrients remains a challenge, as they are trapped inside complex cell walls, making them harder for our bodies to absorb.

Understanding the nanostructure of these barriers and how it influences their mechanical properties is essential for designing food processing strategies that facilitate the release of these compounds for human nutrition.

Read more on the ALBA website

Image: Seaweeds

Synchrotron light reveals how a plant enzyme reshapes sugars to drive essential biological reactions

Synchrotron light reveals how a plant enzyme reshapes sugars to drive essential biological reactions

Using XALOC beamline at ALBA, researchers from the Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), at the University of Zaragoza, have discovered an unexpected way in which a plant enzyme activates sugars during a fundamental biochemical reaction. The findings, published in Nature Communications, challenge long-standing assumptions about how glycosyltransferase enzymes work and provide new foundations for biotechnological innovation.

Sugar-modifying enzymes play a central role in life. They control how sugars are attached to proteins and other molecules, a process that influences cell communication, development, immunity and responses to stress. In plants, these reactions are essential for building cell walls and regulating growth, while in humans similar enzymes are linked to disease processes and the effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies. Understanding exactly how these enzymes work at the molecular level is crucial not only for basic biology, but also for improving biomedicine, agriculture and industrial biotechnology.

The study of this group from BIFI at the University of Zaragoza focuses on FUT11, a fucosyltransferase enzyme from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Glycosyltransferases such as FUT11 catalyse the formation of glycosidic bonds by transferring a sugar from a donor molecule to an acceptor. Traditionally, scientists assumed that during this reaction the acceptor sugar remained largely passive, maintaining a stable shape while the enzyme activated the donor. Using high-resolution structural data collected at the XALOC beamline – one of the ALBA’s instruments for X-ray crystallography-, the researchers were able to visualise FUT11 bound to its substrates and discovered a very different picture.

The crystal structures collected at ALBA (BL13 XALOC) provided the structural framework for mechanistic interpretation, and the accompanying atomistic simulations indicated that FUT11 actively promotes a transient distortion (puckering) of the acceptor sugar ring away from its most stable chair conformation. In these simulations, the catalytic base—Glu158—acts not only as the proton abstractor but also as a conformational effector: its interactions bias the innermost GlcNAc into a reactive, puckered state that better aligns the acceptor hydroxyl for nucleophilic attack and efficient bond formation.

Read more on the ALBA website

Image: Researchers Víctor Taleb, María Bort, Ramón Hurtado from BIFI

Credit: Unizar

Synchrotron light reveals the previously unknown crystal structure of dypingite

Synchrotron light reveals the previously unknown crystal structure of dypingite

A team of researchers from the University of Oslo and the ALBA Synchrotron has determined for the first time the crystal structure of dypingite, a naturally occurring hydrated magnesium carbonate mineral. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction at ALBA, the scientists revealed how humidity triggers subtle but reversible disorder in the mineral’s structure. These findings, published in the Journal of Applied Crystallography, help explain the elusive nature of dypingite’s atomic arrangement and could improve our understanding of carbon mineralization – a natural process with implications for carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Understanding the structure of crystals and their defects has led to a number of surprising innovations across various fields, from modern electronics and computing to high-precision MRI machines and large high-energy accelerators. In light of this, researchers have been studying a number of disordered solid materials and exploring methods to engineer disorder within their crystal structures to gain control over the physical and chemical properties of the compounds. One mineral of growing interest is dypingite, a naturally-occurring hydrated magnesium carbonate mineral that forms through the reaction of magnesium-rich rocks with carbon dioxide and water.

These minerals have been found to play a role in natural carbon sequestration, whereby they lock atmospheric carbon dioxide into stable solid forms over geological timescales. Furthermore, dypingite forms flower-like nanoparticles that could have applications in catalysis and water filtration. Identifying their crystal structure could enable scientists to exploit these properties. Dypingite was first described in the 70’s. However, until now, it has been notoriously difficult to characterize due to its complex layering and sensitivity to moisture.

Read more on the ALBA website

Image: Naturally formed dypingite: (left) microphotograph of a dypingite layer on a serpentine rock; (right) SEM image of dypingite’s layers

Agreement to secure the funding for the ALBA Synchrotron upgrade

Agreement to secure the funding for the ALBA Synchrotron upgrade

The budget approved by the Spanish Government and the Generalitat de Catalunya for the next 14 years is €926.2 million, funded 50% by each government, and including investments, operations and personnel. €170 million (18%) are devoted entirely to the ALBA II upgrade project. This new investment takes advantage of almost all of the previous investment in ALBA and increases its economic and societal return. The cost-benefit analysis has shown that each euro invested in ALBA II generates an annual social return of 1.5 euros.

The event has been presided over by the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Salvador Illa; the Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant; the Catalan Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat; the Secretary of State of Science, Innovation and Universities, Juan Cruz Cigudosa; and the Director of the ALBA Synchrotron, Caterina Biscari. There were also attending the Delegate of the Spanish government in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, the Mayor of Cerdanyola del Vallès, Carlos Cordon, and the Rector of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Javier Lafuente.

The event was streamed live and can be rewatched via this link.

Before signing the agreement, the delegation made a tour around ALBA. The director, Caterina Biscari, guided the group through the upcoming changes under the ALBA II project, highlighting its impact on the resolution, speed, and detection capabilities of synchrotron light-based experiments.

Read more on ALBA website

Magneto-ionic control of artificial antiferromagnets

Magneto-ionic control of artificial antiferromagnets

An international research collaboration, led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, has demonstrated the potential of magneto-ionics – control of magnetism via voltage-driven ion migration – to modulate the properties of artificial antiferromagnets. The study opens new avenues for spintronic devices. Experiments done at the ALBA Synchrotron were crucial to shed light on the mechanisms responsible for the magneto-ionic control of Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions.

Voltage-driven ion migration provides a powerful mechanism to modulate magnetism and spin-related phenomena in solids, offering significant potential for the development of energy-efficient next-generation micro- and nanoelectronic devices. Synthetic antiferromagnets, comprising two ferromagnetic layers antiferromagnetically coupled via a thin non-magnetic spacer, offer key advantages for spintronic applications, including enhanced thermal stability, reduced magnetostatic interactions, and robustness against external magnetic fields in magnetic tunnel junctions. Despite its technological promise, magneto-ionic control of antiferromagnetic coupling in multilayers remains largely unexplored and poorly understood, especially in systems that avoid reliance on platinum-group metals.

In a recent publication, scientists from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Singulus Technologies (Germany), the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA)  and the ALBA Synchrotron have demonstrated room-temperature voltage control of Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions in Cobalt/Nickel-based synthetic antiferromagnets.

The experiments reveal voltage-induced transitions between ferrimagnetic (uncompensated) and antiferromagnetic (fully compensated) states, along with notable modulation of the RKKY bias field offset, the emergence of additional switching events, and the formation of skyrmion-like domain bubbles under relatively low gating voltages.

These effects are attributed to voltage-driven oxygen migration within the multilayers, as confirmed by microscopic and spectroscopic analyses. X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) of the samples were performed at the BOREAS beamline of ALBA. XAS was used to characterize, at room temperature, the elemental composition and oxidation state of the films. The findings were crucial to understand the mechanisms of the magneto-ionic control of the synthetic antiferromagnet structures.

A new approach to optimize magnetic tunnel junctions

Magnetic tunnel junctions continue to face several key challenges that hinder their performance and scalability:

  • limited magnetic stability of the reference layer under external magnetic fields.
  • interlayer dipolar interactions, where the magnetic moment of the reference layer disturbs the magnetization reversal of the free layer, degrading device performance.
  • poor thermal stability across a wide temperature range.
  • restricted areal density, as scaling down the lateral dimensions of magnetic tunnel junctionsoften leads to superparamagnetic effects that compromise device reliability.

To address these limitations, synthetic antiferromagnets have been developed and widely adopted as reference layers in magnetic tunnel junctions. They are composed of two ferromagnetic layers coupled antiferromagnetically through a thin non-magnetic spacer (e.g., Ruthenium, Rhodium, or Iridium) via RKKY exchange coupling. Synthetic antiferromagnetsprovide multiple advantages: improved magnetic stability, reduced dipolar interactions (especially when the two ferromagnetic layers are magnetically compensated, eliminating stray fields), enhanced thermal robustness, and the potential for higher areal density and more compact device architectures.

For optimal magnetic tunnel junction performance, synthetic antiferromagnetsstructures exhibiting stronger antiferromagnetic coupling – i.e. larger RKKY exchange fields –are desirable, as they allow for a wider magnetic field window to pin the free layer magnetization without inducing unwanted magnetic interactions. Despite recent progress in the field, electric current-based magnetization switching schemes in magnetic tunnel junctions still pose challenges in terms of energy efficiency. Significant reduction of ohmic loss is envisaged by using voltage (or electric fields), instead of current, to control magnetism.

Thus, it is clear that the reported modulation of antiferromagnetically RKKY coupled multilayers with electric field is of great interest and technological relevance for magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) development. Magneto-ionic control of RKKY interactions offers a versatile platform for developing next-generation spintronic devices with low power consumption, non-volatility, and dynamic reconfigurability. By enabling voltage-driven tuning of interlayer magnetic coupling, this approach holds promise for applications in voltage-controlled MRAM, neuromorphic computing, and spintronic logic, where analog modulation and multi-state behavior are desirable. It also enhances the performance of magnetic sensors and spin valves by stabilizing antiparallel states and reducing power demands.

Read more on ALBA website

Key mechanisms in amorphous iridium oxides for next-generation water electrolysis

Key mechanisms in amorphous iridium oxides for next-generation water electrolysis

A multidisciplinary team from institutions in Germany, Argentina, and Spain has revealed new understanding of amorphous hydrous iridium oxides (am-hydr-IrOx) and their role in sustainable energy production. Using advanced synchrotron techniques, the researchers monitored both electronic and geometric structures of these materials under real operating conditions. Their findings, published in Energy & Environmental Science, could lead to more efficient and durable catalysts for green hydrogen production.

Water electrolysis plays a crucial role in converting renewable energy from sources like wind and solar into hydrogen. A key challenge in this process is the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which requires highly effective anode catalysts. While iridium-based materials are the gold standard for OER catalysts in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEM-WE), iridium’s scarcity raises significant concerns about their long-term scalability. Among the most promising candidates are amorphous hydrous iridium oxides (am-hydr-IrOx), though their study with some wide-spread techniques, like x-ray diffraction, is challenging, because of their lack of long-range atomic order. Moreover, most structural models used to explain the limiting (electro)chemical mechanisms of am-hydr-IrOx are based on ordered crystalline phases, making them inadequate for understanding amorphous materials.

A new study, published in Energy & Environmental Science, combines synchrotron-based characterization techniques with density functional theory (DFT) calculations to develop a comprehensive model for amorphous hydrous iridium oxides. The collaborative work involved researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin and the Fritz-Haber-Institut in Germany, and the ALBA Synchrotron. By investigating hydrous iridium oxide thin films (HIROFs), the researchers showed that iridium dissolution can occur spontaneously and is thermodynamically driven, and is not always a direct consequence of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

The team prepared HIROF thin films through controlled electrochemical oxidation of metallic iridium substrates using cyclic voltammetry. This process created a highly porous, hydrated am-hydr-IrOx with a disordered three-dimensional structure containing numerous edges and bulk defects. As revealed in the study, these features enhance OER activity, but they also contribute to material instability.

Ex situ characterization using cryo-TEM confirmed the amorphous and porous nature of the films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed hydroxyl groups and a progressive increase in iridium oxidation state with increasing film thickness. Electrochemical measurements helped define three distinct potential regimes-–pre-redox, redox and OER regimes—, which mark important transitions in the catalyst’s structural and electronic behavior.

To understand atomic-scale transformations, the researchers applied in situ and operando spectroscopic techniques at two synchrotron beamlines: KMC-3 at BESSY II (Germany) and NOTOS at ALBA. They performed in situ Ir L₃-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structures (EXAFS) under electrochemical control to monitor changes in iridium oxidation state and Ir–O bond lengths. The results showed progressive oxidation and structural distortion as the applied potential increased. Operando Fixed Energy X-ray Absorption Voltammetry (FEXRAV) established a direct link between electronic transitions and electrochemical activity. Near-ambient pressure hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-HAXPES) provided complementary surface-sensitive insights into oxidation states at hydrated conditions.

To explain their observations, the team developed a novel atomistic model — a hydrogen-terminated nanosheet structure — that departs from previous crystalline-based approaches. This model offers a more accurate representation of the amorphous phase and, when used in DFT simulations, revealed diverse reactive sites that affect OER activity and iridium dissolution differently.

The research established a dual-mechanistic framework where deprotonation and oxidation drive the OER pathway, while a separate, independent process leads to spontaneous Ir loss through defect formation. Both mechanisms exist simultaneously and evolve as the applied potential changes. When compared with operando EXAFS measurements, the simulated structures showed strong agreement, validating the model and identifying probable active sites and degradation pathways.

Read more on ALBA website

Synchrotron light reveals hidden benefits in cobalt-free battery materials

Synchrotron light reveals hidden benefits in cobalt-free battery materials

An international study led by researchers at the ALBA Synchrotron has analysed the effect of cobalt removal from Lithium-rich cathodes using operando multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The research, published in Materials Today Energy, reveals that Cobalt-free cathode compositions outperform those with cobalt by reducing oxygen release and improving structural stability. These results point towards a new avenue for sustainable and high-performance battery technologies.

The development of more sustainable and efficient energy storage solutions is one of the main challenges facing society today. At the heart of these initiatives are lithium-ion batteries, powering electric vehicles and enabling sustainable renewable energy storage systems. Their widespread use is driven by their high energy density, stability, and greater efficiency compared to other technologies.

Transition metals like nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and cobalt (Co) are frequently used in lithium-ion battery cathodes because they promote electrochemical reversible redox reactions, providing high energy density and reliable performances. However, these compositions also suffer from voltage fade and structural instability, leading to performance degradation over multiple cycles. Cobalt was thought to play a particular crucial role in stabilizing the layered structure of these cathode materials by improving electronic conductivity. Yet, its high cost, limited supply, and safety concerns have driven researchers to look for alternatives to reduce or eliminate cobalt from cathodes while enhancing battery performance.

This study, led by researchers at the ALBA Synchrotron, used advanced operando X-ray spectroscopy techniques to observe how cobalt removal affects the material at the atomic level, uncovering key structural and electronic transformations in real time. The main innovation lies in the multi-modal experimental approach, where multi-edge operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy coupled the results obtainable from both the x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectral regions. Moreover, the hard x-ray operando absorption data collected at CLAESS beamline have been coupled with high-resolution transmission X-ray microscopy in the soft x-ray energy range conducted at MISTRAL beamlines, in both cases ALBA beamlines. This approach allowed the researchers to better understand the charge compensation mechanisms during cycling and the specific role of each transition metal and oxygen species.

The study compared two lithium-rich NMC cathodes. NMC is a layered oxide material made of nickel, manganese and cobalt. One of the studied cathodes presented a low cobalt content and the other was Co-free variant, both synthesized via co-precipitation followed by a solid-state reaction. These cathodes were assembled into coin-cell batteries to assess their electrochemical performance through charge and discharge cycles. During cycling, the researchers employed operando multi-edge X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to monitor real-time oxidation state changes in transition metals and, indirectly, on the oxygen species. Automated big data post processing has been applied. While the XANES region have been analysed with advanced statistical methods, automated fitting techniques were also exploited to extract complementary quantitative information from the EXAFS signals. Additionally, full-field Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM) was used to analyse nanoscale morphological and structural transformations.

The combination of all these techniques provided critical insights into Co’s role in stabilizing the layered structure along cycling and how its absence impacts battery performance.Operando XANES measurements confirmed that in the Co-free material, nickel undergoes a more complete and faster oxidation process during the first charge cycle, which enhances charge compensation and reduces irreversible oxygen loss. The X-ray Microscopy analysis further revealed that removing Co suppresses the formation of the Mn spinel phase in the bulk of the material particles, a key factor in capacity fading. The finding explained the reasons of the observed higher capacity retention over many charging cycles in the Co-free cathode, making it a strong candidate for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

These findings identify a pathway toward more sustainable, high-performance lithium-ion batteries without relying on scarce and expensive cobalt.

“The study confirms that cobalt-free cathodes can outperform those with cobalt and provides a deeper understanding of the involved mechanisms. The use of advanced X-ray spectroscopy techniques allowed us to further refine cathode materials and enhance their efficiency and longevity”, says Laura Simonelli, group leader at the CLAESS beamline and main author of the study.

As the demand for cleaner energy storage solutions rises, this research contributes to the ongoing development of safer, more affordable, and environmentally friendly battery technologies.

Read more on ALBA website

Hydrophobic thin-film catalysts for enhanced CO₂ conversion

Hydrophobic thin-film catalysts for enhanced CO₂ conversion

In a major step toward sustainable CO₂ conversion, researchers from the University of Antwerp, Ghent University, and the ALBA Synchrotron studied how interfacial properties—especially hydrophobicity—affect electrocatalyst performance in gas diffusion electrodes.

Using advanced atomic layer deposition (ALD), they developed a high-efficiency indium sulfide (In₂S₃) catalyst for CO₂ electroreduction to formate. Published in Advanced Energy Materials, the study achieved promising results for industrial application at high current densities.

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (eCO₂R) is an emerging field that bridges renewable energy and carbon capture, offering a route to transform CO₂ into value-added chemicals and fuels. One of the most promising products is formate, a versatile molecule with industrial applications ranging from chemicals and pharmaceuticals to hydrogen storage and fuel cells. In this context, achieving high selectivity and efficiency in eCO₂R under industrially relevant conditions is becoming increasingly relevant.

However, despite extensive research, a clear understanding of the fundamental electrochemical properties and performance of eCO₂R remains challenging due to the complexity of their composite layers.

In this study, researchers investigated eCO₂R performance by carefully tailoring the surface wettability of indium sulfide (In₂S₃) thin films. Using both thermal (T-) and plasma-enhanced (PE-) atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods, they fabricated uniform In₂S₃ catalyst layers on gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs). Synchrotron light was then used to characterize the film structures, revealing that precise control over hydrophobicity is a critical parameter for efficient formate production.

The characterization of the In₂S₃ thin films’ composition, morphology, and hydrophobicity involved a combination of techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and contact angle measurements. Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) at the NCD-SWEET beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron enabled the characterization of the films’ crystallographic structure, providing detailed insights into the distinct differences arising from the two ALD methods.

The team found that while T-ALD preserved the hydrophobicity of the gas diffusion electrode substrate, PE-ALD induced hydrophilicity due to differences in crystallinity and surface morphology. This difference in wettability profoundly impacted performance. The hydrophobic T-In₂S₃ thin films facilitated better CO₂ gas access and led to superior reaction rates and reduced hydrogen evolution. Specifically, the T-In₂S₃ catalysts achieved a Faradaic efficiency for formate of 93% at a current density of 1 A cm⁻², benchmarks considered necessary for industrial application. Furthermore, researchers revealed that the higher the hydrophobicity of the thermal ALD films, the more efficient the formate electrosynthesis, suggesting a crucial role for this interfacial property in facilitating efficient CO₂ mass transport.

In conclusion, this study demonstrates how interfacial engineering through atomic layer deposition techniques can improve electrocatalyst performance. By establishing the relationship between hydrophobicity and enhanced CO₂ conversion efficiency, these findings provide a valuable framework for developing next-generation industrial catalysts and integrated processes for formate production.

Read more on ALBA website

Boosting energy storage: the role of lithium distribution in battery performance

Boosting energy storage: the role of lithium distribution in battery performance

An international research team from several institutions, including the ALBA Synchrotron, has come up with a new way to improve nickel-rich positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. Published in Nature Communications, the study sheds light on how lithium positioning impacts the electrochemical stability of the electrodes. The team also identified two optimized nickel-rich materials that open the door to more durable and effective lithium-ion battery systems.

As demand for rechargeable batteries grows, the need for sustainable and cost-effective materials to improve their lifespan and performance becomes increasingly critical. The next-generation lithium-ion batteries are being designed with new cathode active materials for high-performance energy storage that avoid hazardous materials like cobalt. Among the most promising positive electrode candidates are nickel-rich layered oxide materials. However, these materials face significant challenges in long-term stability due to structural degradation. A crucial yet frequently overlooked factor affecting their stability is the precise positioning of lithium atoms within the lattice—a characteristic extremely difficult to determine due to lithium’s weak interaction with standard X-ray methods.

A recent study published in Nature Communications addresses this challenge with advanced characterization techniques, including synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction, to analyse and optimize lithium distribution within nickel-rich electrodes. This work was a collaborative effort involving scientists from Shenzhen and Shanxi Universities (China), ICN2, and ICREA (Spain) alongside scientists from the ALBA Synchrotron, the Institute Laue-Langevin (France), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) and the UM6P (Morocco).

By adjusting lithium incorporation and adding multiple high-valence dopants (Nb⁵⁺, W⁶⁺, Mo⁶⁺), researchers identified two electrode materials with better durability and stability. The optimization of the material performance was also achieved by creating superlattice domains, that is ensuring that the distribution of the lithium ions is not random. Small changes in lithium occupancy in nickel-rich positive electrodes can significantly enhance electrochemical performance.  

Researchers examined the internal structure of these electrodes with a variety of techniques and synchrotron facilities. In particular, researchers monitored the real-time structural evolution of the nickel-rich positive electrodes during battery operation using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) at the MSPD beamline at ALBA. The high-resolution diffraction patterns provided by this beamline allowed the tracking of lithium positioning as well as of their phase transitions and lattice changes.

“The ability to study electrodes under operating conditions was critical to show how lithium occupancy influences stability and performance, which are both key parameters for the development of more durable Li-ion battery materials”, says Alexander Missyul, beamline scientist at MSPD.

This work identified two optimized electrode materials with important gains in battery cyclability. The first, with a lithium content of 1.08, stabilized the lithium/nickel exchange, and improved mechanical durability. The second, with a lithium content of 1.20, promoted oxygen redox activity, which helped electrode integrity at higher voltages. Both materials demonstrated a capacity retention of over 90% after extended cycling, significantly outperforming conventional nickel-rich electrodes.

Read more on ALBA website

Novel strategy to reduce antibiotic resistance in a superbug

Novel strategy to reduce antibiotic resistance in a superbug

A study, published in the cover of the April issue of Nature Chemical Biology, has designed a compound that prevents the activation of resistance in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This discovery, tested in mice, is a significant advance in the fight against infections caused by this pathogen, which has a very high incidence in hospitals. The research, led by the Blas Cabrera Institute of Physical Chemistry CSIC and the University of Notre Dame (USA), used data obtained at the XALOC beamline at the ALBA Synchrotron.

Scientists from the Blas Cabrera Institute of Physical Chemistry (IQF-CSIC) and the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA) identified a compound that blocks the bacteria’s ability Staphylococcus aureus to survive antibiotics.

This pathogen is considered a superbugdue to its ability to develop mechanisms that allow it to evade the action of multiple antibiotics, a phenomenon known as resistance, and which makes it difficult to treat infections, ranging from skin illnesses to pneumonia and septicemia, some of them potentially letal.

In particular, strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to antibiotic methicillin (MRSA) are especially problematic because they have spread their resistance to a wide range of antibiotics, making them difficult to fight against, especially in hospital.

This new compound, now synthesized and named compound 4, based on benzimidazole and commonly used against gastrointestinal parasites and fungi, has been selected from among 11 million candidate molecules for its ability to block a key protein of this pathogen, called BlaR1, that triggers the mechanism that inactivates antibiotics.

The combination of compound 4 along with the antibiotics oxacillin and meropenem has been shown effective in blocking the bacteria’s resistance mechanism and ending the infection in mouse models, thus validating the potential of this novel therapeutic strategy as a model for developing similar therapies against other resistant bacteria.

A highlight of this work is the use of X-ray crystallography at the XALOC beamline at the ALBA Synchrotron. Synchrotron light enabled to determine the structure of the BlaR1 protein bound to the inhibitor compound. This structural analysis revealed that compound 4 binds to the active site of BlaR1, providing crucial information about the inhibitor’s mechanism of action and guiding the future design of targeted therapies.

Researchers have reached a preclinical stage testing compound 4, after verifying that it works in 40 strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant on mice, where it has proven very effective. “The next step would be to move on to the clinical stage, where developments can already be made in humans and improve the pharmacokinetic properties,” explains Juan Hermoso.

Read more on ALBA website

Image: Resistant ‘Staphylococcus aureus’ causes serious hospital infections, such as sepsis.

Credit: iStock

First official users at FaXToR

First official users at FaXToR

The new beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron, devoted to fast X-ray tomography and radiography, is in full swing. It has recently welcomed the first official users with an experiment on the durability of green cements. They are scientists from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Universitat de Barcelona investigating on new methods to find more sustainable cements.

Building a new beamline is a highly complex project that covers several critical phases, from the design to the construction, to the team recruitment and the commissioning, until you achieve a high-performance analytical instrument, ready for the scientific community. This is the result of a period that can go from 3 to 5 years approximately, including countless hours of dedication from the scientific and technical teams involved. Therefore, hosting the first official experiment is a milestone that deserves huge celebration.

FaXToR is a versatile beamline to perform quasi-real-time 3D computed tomography, being key to study the dynamics of certain processes at the micrometric scale using X-rays. It serves a wide range of scientific fields, including materials science, biology, paleontology, earth sciences, cultural heritage and industrial applications.

After its successful commissioning and the friendly users’ experiments, now FaXToR is in operation having welcomed the first official users recently. Researchers from the department of Architecture and Civil Engineering from the Universitat Politènica de Barcelona and from the department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Applied Geology from the Universitat de Barcelona have studied the properties and performance of different novel low-carbon cements at the new ALBA beamline.

The new products can result in more environmentally friendly constructions, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the global building industry. The cement industry is responsible for approximately 5% of global carbon dioxide output and concrete is the second most consumed substance on Earth, surpassed only by water.

Read more on ALBA website

Image: Group picture including first official users at FaXToR and members of the beamline

Researchers proved reversible alloy metallic nanocatalysts: a step forward to clean energies

Researchers proved reversible alloy metallic nanocatalysts: a step forward to clean energies

A team of researchers from several institutions in Spain, Germany, and Argentina, led by the ITQ-UPV-CSIC, has conducted a comprehensive exploration of the exsolution process in double perovskite oxides. The study, published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A, reveals important insights into how temperature controls nanoparticle composition, how these particles change during chemical cycling, and provides the first measurement of the reversibility of ternary alloyed nanoparticles.

Advanced X-ray techniques at the ALBA Synchrotron provided detailed views of both structural and surface changes during the exsolution process. This study is of great interest for the development of reversible electrochemical cells that can work in fuel cell and electrolyzer modes for renewable energy storage and production of green fuels.

Perovskite oxides are versatile materials prized for their tunable properties and diverse chemical characteristics, making them exceptional platforms for catalyst design in multiple clean energy technologies, including fuel cells and the conversion of CO₂ and water into CO and hydrogen. Their unique ability to release and—potentially—reabsorb metal nanoparticles makes these materials particularly valuable for creating stable, high-performance catalysts. Exsolution has emerged as a promising nanocatalyst fabrication route in the last decade. Through exsolution, perovskite oxides can produce well-anchored metal nanoparticles under controlled conditions. If this process can also work in reverse, it could enable catalyst regeneration.

However, little is known about how this release-reabsorb process works. For this reason, researchers at Instituto de Tecnología Química (ITQ-UPV-CSIC), the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB) from Germany, the ALBA Synchrotron, and other research institutions in Spain and Argentina, used advanced X-ray techniques to observe the process in real-time in a quest to understand the dynamics of ternary alloyed nanoparticles. This study specifically examines how three metals—iron, cobalt, and nickel—combine to form nanoparticles within a complex oxide structure, aiming to understand what controls their formation and reversibility.

The researchers investigated the exsolution of ternary alloyed nanoparticles in a specially designed oxide material using a combination of in situ and ex situ techniques. They discovered that the exsolution temperature significantly influences the composition of the resulting nanoparticles. At lower temperatures, nickel-rich nanoparticles preferentially form due to the faster diffusion of nickel. Increasing the temperature promotes the exsolution of cobalt and iron, leading to a more homogeneous composition. This finding highlights the potential for tuning nanoparticle composition by controlling the exsolution temperature.

The study also explored the reversibility of the exsolution process, demonstrating that some nanoparticles can be reintegrated into the perovskite lattice upon oxidation, while others remain on the surface in an altered state. This reversibility has important implications for catalyst regeneration and stability.

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Image: Schematic representation and field emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the ex situ redox processes affecting exsolution, oxidation and re-exolution.

Synchrotron light opens new avenues for aquaculture disease prevention

Synchrotron light opens new avenues for aquaculture disease prevention

A collaborative study by the Institute for Research, Development, and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE) and the ALBA Synchrotron has used cryo-soft X-ray tomography to investigate the viral response of rainbow trout red blood cells (RBCs) to the virus commonly known as ‘fish Ebola’.

The research, published in Frontiers in Immunology, reveals significant cellular structural changes that could inform novel fish vaccine development, a critical need in aquaculture.

Fish nucleated red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, play a crucial role in maintaining immune system balance in response to various stimuli, including viral attacks. Previous studies have shown that erythrocytes undergo intracellular changes – such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and antigen presentation – to prevent viral replication in response to viruses and DNA vaccines. A deeper understanding of this response could aid the development of new preventive treatments, particularly much-needed vaccines for the aquaculture industry.

To investigate these mechanisms, researchers from Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE) of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) and the MISTRAL beamline at ALBA Synchrotron studied the response of rainbow trout erythrocytes when exposed to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV). This highly contagious virus severely affects various fish species, with mortality rates of up to 100%. For this reason, it has been commonly referred to as “fish Ebola.“

To examine in detail the erythrocytes’ response, researchers employed advanced imaging techniques at the ALBA Synchrotron. Cryo-soft X-ray tomography (cryo-SXT) – available in five places all over the world, being one of them the MISTRAL beamline – is a novel approach that enables the visualization of 3D nanoscale structures in intact cryopreserved cells.

The research team purified rainbow trout erythrocytes and exposed them to VHSV. At the ALBA Synchrotron, they visualized the structural differences in infected cells, revealing that rainbow trout erythrocytes experience an increase of the endoplasmic reticulum volume and activate the endoplasmic reticulum stress process. Using molecular biology techniques, the team verified that this process activates the misfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is an internal defence mechanism that cells trigger when faced with stress. Furthermore, by inhibiting reticulum stress, they discovered that the virus increased its replication, demonstrating that this process contributes to slowing the infection.

The results suggest that rainbow trout erythrocytes modulate endoplasmic reticulum stress as an antiviral control mechanism and open a new line of research to identify antiviral strategies targeting erythrocytes.

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Image: General picture of rainbow trouts. Image obtained by soft X-ray cryotomography at the MISTRAL beamline at the ALBA Synchrotron. 3D image of erythrocytes exposed to VHSV, showing the cell nucleus in pink, the endoplasmic reticulum in yellow, the cytoplasm in green, and double-membrane vesicles in purple.

“Vortion”, a new magnetic state able to mimic neuronal synapses

“Vortion”, a new magnetic state able to mimic neuronal synapses

Researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have managed to experimentally develop a new magnetic state: a magneto-ionic vortex or “vortion”. The research, published in Nature Communications, allows for an unprecedented level of control of magnetic properties at the nanoscale and at room temperature, and opens new horizons for the development of advanced magnetic devices. Controlling this state paves the way for the creation of more intelligent, reconfigurable and energy-efficient devices that mimic the brain.

The use of Big Data has multiplied the energy demand in information technologies. Generally, to store information, systems utilize electric currents to write data, which dissipates power by heating the devices. Controlling magnetic memories with voltage, instead of electric currents, can minimise this energy expenditure. One way to achieve this is by using magneto-ionic materials, which allow for the manipulation of their magnetic properties by adding or removing ions through changes in the polarity of the applied voltage.

So far, most studies in this area have focused on continuous films, rather than on controlling properties at the nanometric scale in discrete “bits”, essential for high-density data storage. Moreover, it is known that new magnetic phenomena can emerge at the sub-micrometre scale, that do not exist at the macroscopic level, such as magnetic vortices – small swirl-like magnetic structures. These vortices have applications in the way magnetic data are currently recorded and read, as well as in biomedicine. Nevertheless, changing the vortex state in already prepared materials is often impossible or requires large amounts of energy.

Researchers from the UAB Department of Physics, in collaboration with scientists from the ICMAB-CSIC, the ALBA Synchrotron and research institutions in Italy and the United States, propose a new solution that combines magneto-ionics and magnetic vortices. Researchers experimentally developed a new magnetic state that they have named magneto-ionic vortex, or “vortion”. This new object allows “on-demand” control of the magnetic properties of a nanodot (a dot of nanometric dimensions) with high precision. This is achieved by extracting nitrogen ions through the application of voltage, thus allowing for efficient control with very low energy consumption.

Measurements at the ALBA Synchrotron were carried out at the CIRCE-PEEM beamline, whose technique provides an excellent method to confirm the envisaged spin configurations of the vortion state.

“This is a so far unexplored object at the nanoscale. There is a great demand for controlling magnetic states at the nanoscale but, surprisingly, most of the research in magneto-ionics has so far focused on the study of films of continuous materials. If we look at the effects of ion displacement in discrete structures of nanometre dimensions, the ‘nanodots’ we have analysed, we see that very interesting dynamically evolving spin configurations appear, which are unique to these types of structures”. Jordi Sort, ICREA researcher in the UAB Department of Physics and director of the research.

These spin configurations and the magnetic properties of the vortices vary as a function of the duration of the applied voltage. Thus, different magnetic states (e.g., vortices with different properties or states with uniform magnetic orientation) can be generated from nanodots of an initially non-magnetic material by the gradual extraction of ions through the application of voltage.

“With the ‘vortions’ we developed, we can have unprecedented control of magnetic properties such as magnetisation, coercivity, remanence, anisotropy or the critical fields at which vortions are formed or annihilated. These are fundamental properties for storing information in magnetic memories, which we are now able to control and tune in an analogue and reversible manner by a voltage-activated process with very low energy consumption. The voltage actuation procedure, instead of using electric current, prevents heating in devices such as laptops, servers and data centres, and it drastically reduces energy loss.” Irena Spasojević, postdoctoral researcher in the UAB Department of Physics and first author of the paper.

Researchers have shown that by precisely controlling the thickness of the voltage-generated magnetic layer, the magnetic state of the material can be varied at will, in a controlled and reversible manner, between a non-magnetic state, a state with a uniform magnetic orientation (such as that found in a magnet), and the new magneto-ionic vortex state.

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Image: Jordi Sort and Irena Spasojević at the UAB, next to the Magneto-Optical Kerr Effect (MOKE) magnetometer that was used for in-situ measurements described in the work.

Improved stability of gold nanoparticles for cancer therapy

Improved stability of gold nanoparticles for cancer therapy

A study carried out by researchers from POLYMAT-University of the Basque Country, INIFTA-Universidad Nacional de la Plata and the ALBA Synchrotron has made promising advances in the stabilization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for use in cancer therapy. The work, published in the scientific journal Small, describes the synthesis of anisotropic hybrid particles of gold nanoparticles and nanogel, which overcome the challenges that have held back the clinical application of AuNPs, while maintaining their optical properties for the first time.

Gold nanoparticles are considered a powerful tool in photothermal cancer treatment due to their ability to convert light into heat, which is concentrated on tumor cells to destroy them. However, research has shown that unprotected anisotropic gold nanoparticles are prone to to undergo evaporation and condensation processes that result in the loss of their photothermal properties during the duration of the irradiation treatment. A new study, published in the scientific journal Small, presents a novel approach for stabilizing these particles while preserving their critical optical characteristics and, therefore, with the potential to improve the efficacy of cancer therapies.

Anisotropic gold nanoparticles are non-spherical photothermal particles that can be designed for thermal conversion by near-infrared irradiation, which is particularly advantageous in medical applications because of their high penetration depth in biological tissues and low toxicity to normal cells. However, their structural instability precludes prolonged therapeutic use. For this reason, previous studies have attempted to coat gold nanoparticles in gels such as polyethylene glycol (PEG). Yet, while these coatings improved stability, they also altered the unique shape and optical properties of the gold nanoparticles, significantly reducing their photothermal efficacy.

In this new study, researchers from POLYMAT-University of the Basque Country, INIFTA-La Plata National University, and the ALBA Synchrotron, devised a one-pot synthesis method that stabilizes anisotropic gold nanoparticles by coating them in an ultra thin, in situ polymeric nanogel. Using polyacrylamide (pAA) and poly-(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM), the team achieved nanogel shells between 2–8 nanometers thick around each individual gold nanoparticle. This ultra thin coating preserved the nanoparticles’ dimensions and shape, ensuring that their unique optical and photothermal properties were unaffected. Notably, rod-shaped and star-shaped nanoparticles retained their structural integrity and optical characteristics, with rod-shaped hybrids showing particularly promising stability and efficiency for photothermal applications. The researchers also found that pNIPAM coatings offered the best protection for the nanoparticles, while pAA coatings exhibited optimal photothermal conversion efficiency.

Read more on ALBA website