Tag: Spectromicroscopy

Diamond helps find a way to improve accuracy of Lateral Flow Tests

Diamond helps find a way to improve accuracy of Lateral Flow Tests

A recent study has found a way to help reduce false-negative results in Lateral Flow Tests by a simple modification.

Using X-ray fluorescence imaging at Diamond, researchers from King’s College London set out to identify what could be causing these false-negative results, and what potential modifications could enable increased accuracy.

They identified that the underlying technology of the Lateral Flow Devices is highly accurate and able to theoretically detect trace amounts of the COVID-19 virus, but the limitations fall to the read-out of the device – the technology used to communicate the result of the test.

The study, published in ACS Materials and Interfaces, suggests  several potentially simple modifications to the Lateral Flow Devices that could lead to improved performance.

read more on the Diamond website

Preparing for the next generation of batteries

Preparing for the next generation of batteries

In the ongoing quest to build a better battery, researchers used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to identify the potential of using polymer composites as electrode matrices to increase the capacity of rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.

“The composition of the adhesive and conductive framework for batteries hasn’t changed in years,” said Dr. Christian Kuss, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Manitoba and one of three researchers on the project. “But, we’re reaching the limit of how much capacity Li-Ion batteries have so this work is essentially preparing for the next generation of batteries.”

Over many cycles of charging and discharging, battery materials begin to break down, he explained. “The goal is to find new matrix materials that allow the electrode to stay intact over longer periods of time and thereby increase capacity.”

The new matrix material Kuss and his colleagues studied was based on a mixture of two polymers – one adhesive and the other conductive. The adhesive polymer is cellulose based, he said, while the conductive one “is easily synthesized and fairly cheap.” Cost is an important consideration “because you ultimately want a battery that is comparable in terms of pricing to what’s already available.”

At the CLS, the researchers used the Spectromicroscopy beamline to study the chemical structure of the polymer mixture. “With this technique, we could see the mixture and see how the polymers were distributed at a microscale.”

Read more on the CLS website

Image: Battery cyclers for running and testing batteries.