Diamond Annual Review 2025-26

the I15 beamline, they combined high-pressure X-ray diffraction with Raman spectroscopy and computer modelling to study the structures that formed. The researchers found that above 7 gigapascals, new molecular compounds appeared, and at even higher pressure or temperature, nitrogen molecules began to break apart, allowing new covalent bonds between carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen atoms to form. The findings suggest that planetary interiors may create complex organic chemistry through pressure, not just sunlight-driven reactions in atmospheres. This could help scientists better understand Titan, gas giants and exoplanets, and may support future missions such as NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Titan. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202422710 Hybrid frameworks join forces to clean polluted water A new hybrid material could help remove stubborn pollutants from water. The hybrid brings together two highly porous materials, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent-organic frameworks (COFs). These act like molecular scaffolds, with internal spaces that can trap and react with pollutants. The important finding is that the two parts are chemically joined, not just mixed together. Measurements showed bonds forming between the iron and zirconium-containing parts of the material. Having these beamlines together in one science group allows us to fully exploit the technical and scientific expertise within the teams to provide the basis for future development and pioneering experiments. The group’s beamlines use single crystal diffraction, powder diffraction and total scattering techniques to study structural properties of crystalline, amorphous, and liquid materials in different conditions. These facilities are used in a wide range of scientific disciplines, including condensed matter physics, chemistry, engineering, earth sciences and materials, and life sciences. Under pressure: revealing the chemistry of Titan’s atmosphere Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, has an atmosphere rich in methane and nitrogen. These molecules were previously thought to be largely unreactive when compressed, but the study shows that pressure alone can trigger unexpected chemical changes. An international research team compressed methane– nitrogen mixtures using diamond anvil cells, which squeeze tiny samples between two diamonds to recreate conditions found deep inside planets and moons. At The Crystallography Group comprises of the High-Resolution Powder Diffraction beamline (I11), the Extreme Conditions beamline (I15), the X-ray Pair Distribution Function (XPDF) beamline (I15-1), and the Small-Molecule Single-Crystal Diffraction beamline (I19). Crystallography Group These connections help electrons move more easily through the structure, which supports the reactions needed to break down BPA, a common pollutant found in some plastics and industrial wastewater. Analysis on the I15-1 beamline showed subtle changes around the MOF clusters, confirming strong interaction between the two frameworks, while also showing that the overall structure stayed intact. The hybrid material broke down BPA effectively in both still-water and flowing-water tests and remained stable after repeated use, showing promise for future wastewater treatment. DOI: 10.1039/D5TA03279B 11 12 Annual review 2025/26 Crystallography Group