Ongoing Projects

In light of the recent COVID Pandemic and in response to a strong recommendation from the last International SAXS Review the I22 is undertaking a project aiming at an automated sample delivery system. 

Five sample types have been identified for automated delivery: solids, liquids, gels (all in TSXAS mode), thin films (GISAXS mode) and tomography samples (TomoSAXS mode). Associated Software infrastructure is also being considered as part of the ongoing Synchweb improvements to which I22 is a participant. When completed, this will allow streamlining and automation of the reduction and analysis process to the point where the data from the beamline is stored in ISPyB directly after acquisition, reduced and analysed on our cluster computing facility by SasView and then displayed in SynchWeb in near real-time. When realised, the projects together will provide a full experimental cycle for users beginning with an automated data collection and completed by automated near real-time data reduction and analysis delivering parametric information about their samples – e.g. such as the size and polydispersity of particles in suspension. 

Anyone who might have an interest should contact Olga Shebanova to discuss requirements

The I22 SAXS/WAXS beamline took a partnership in the recently-awarded MRC Programme Grant to develop a dedicated mechanical testing facility.

As part of the grant, I22 will be working with their partners at Cardiff University to build a facility, which will allow biological tissue and other soft matter to be mechanically tested in a variety of ways, whilst being imaged using I22's SAXS and WAXS capabilities. The facility will be designed to be as versatile as possible, by providing a variety of motors, transducers and loading platens/arms/chambers, as well as the ability to swap in bespoke parts. Here are a few examples of experiments the facility will be capable of carrying out:

• Incremental inflation of eye tissue for the investigation of nanostructural changes in glaucoma and other eye diseases.
• Bone studies
• Tensile testing of nerve and tendon tissue for the investigation of overloading injury.
• Compressive loading of intervertebral disc tissue for the investigation of degenerative disease and mechanisms of rupture.
• Study of mechanical properties of a silk.

To maximise utility, I22 beamline and Cardiff University have set up a network of users with an interest in biomechanics/materials mechanics that can provide feedback about the desired capabilities of the facility.

Scientists and engineers of Diamond with a specific interest in described or similar areas of research are very welcome to join the network. Please, contact Olga Shebanova (I22, [email protected]).