Collaborations

In May 2010 a formal collaboration between the University of Manchester and Diamond Light Source was established to construct and operate an imaging facility at Diamond’s X-ray Imaging and Coherence beamline (I13). Complementary to the Coherence branchline (I13-1), the Diamond Manchester Imaging branchline (I13-2) performs real space imaging and tomography on a length or timescale not achievable in home laboratories. Thanks to the high flux of the Diamond synchrotron, images of high signal to noise ratio can be recorded very quickly on I13-2. This enables the study of dynamic processes such as electrochemical deposition for understanding battery failure, bubble dynamics in molten metals for understanding how metals solidify and therefore fail, and the dynamics of the closed cochlea, the part of the ear that converts sound waves to electrical signals.

Manchester contributed financially to the building of the I13-2 branchline and continues to contribute to its beamline staff, operations and development. Diamond owns and has overall responsibility for the branchline, and provides all other funding necessary to ensure beamline I13 conducts world-leading science. I13 has its own beamline team which is led by Principal Beamline Scientist Professor Christoph Rau.

Manchester has guaranteed access to beamtime at Diamond in return for its investment. The majority of this is taken on I13-2, but substantial amounts of beamtime are available on other beamlines as well. Manchester uses I13-2 for research that spans materials science, biomedicine, geology and engineering, as well as methods development in X-ray imaging and tomography. To complement the work undertaken at Diamond, Manchester has set up a branch of the Manchester X-ray Imaging Facility at the Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH) next to Diamond.

The collaboration recently appointed a new Director, Professor Neil Bourne, who holds a chair investigating matter (materials and structures) under extreme conditions at the University of Manchester. Alongside his role in the collaboration, Prof Bourne is Director of the Centre for Matter Under Extreme Conditions (CMEC) at Manchester, which provides facilities for experimental testing to define properties under mechanical and thermal loads, and modelling of the response of materials and structures. He also advises the UK Health and Safety Executive in regulations and risks in materials and structures. One of Prof Bourne’s aims for the collaboration is to make the I13-2 branchline more widely accessible to academics at Manchester, to develop the capabilities of UK academia and the facility itself, serving as a model for other Diamonduniversity interactions.

Manchester’s role in the collaboration will be to act as a lead in X-ray imaging and tomography for UK academia, working alongside Diamond to develop new techniques. Following on from the initial setup, the collaboration is now ramping up to the operation phase, aiming to bring in new communities, such as industrial users, and for the highest quality published output during the operation of I13-2.

The initial collaboration agreement went up until 2017; the contract has recently been extended to 2020. Both partners view the collaboration as a long-term, ongoing relationship, working together as key national players in X-ray imaging and tomography and providing access to the forefront of new technology.

Catalysis is a core area of contemporary science, engineering and technology that has substantial economic and societal impact. Although rooted in chemistry and chemical engineering, catalytic science is now largely multidisciplinary, drawing strongly from materials and biosciences.

The Hub is a national network with over 35 collaborating universities. It 101 was established in 2013 with funding from EPSRC to coordinate, promote and advance the UK catalysis research portfolio. Its physical centre is located next door to Diamond at the Research Complex at Harwell (RCaH). The project has five themes each directed by a lead investigator from five partner universities:

• Catalyst Design: Led by Professor Richard Catlow, UCL and based in the RCaH
• Catalysis for Energy: Led by Professor Christopher Hardacre, Queen’s University Belfast
• Catalysis for Chemical Transformations: Led by Professor Matthew Davidson, Bath
• Environmental Catalysis: Led by Professor Graham Hutchings, Cardiff
• Biocatalysis and Biotransformations: Led by Professor Nick Turner, Manchester