Diamond Annual Review 2025-26

The Soft Condensed Matter Group comprises four beamlines B21, B22, I22 and B23 and the Offline SAXS Instrument, labSAXS. This unique portfolio of beamlines can analyse a range of samples that include two- dimensional thin films (photovoltaics), living mammalian cells, three-dimensional matrices (metal-organic frameworks) and nanoparticles in non-crystalline states. Diamond helps uncover a lost branch of life The B22 beamline helped to solve a 160-year-old fossil mystery. Researchers looked at Prototaxites, giant trunk- like fossils from the early Devonian period, more than 400 million years ago. These organisms could grow several metres tall and were among the largest known life forms on land before trees evolved. For over 160 years, scientists debated what Prototaxites actually was. Because of its tube-like internal structure and lack of obvious plant features, it was often thought to be a giant fungus. However, new evidence suggests it was not a fungus, plant, or any other known type of organism. The Soft Condensed Matter Group provides the infrared (IR) and ultraviolet Circular Dichroism (UV-CD) spectroscopy, and both Small andWideAngle X-ray Scattering (SAXS andWAXS) imaging capabilities of Diamond. Soft Condensed Matter Group B22’s infrared microspectroscopy beamline was used to study the fossil’s chemical fingerprints at very small scales. This helped identify chemical bonds and compare different structures within the fossil. The data supported the idea that the specimen was a single organism, rather than a mix of different organisms living together. Combined with 3D imaging and machine-learning analysis, the results placed Prototaxites outside all known major groups. The study suggests it belonged to a completely extinct branch of complex life, changing how scientists understand Earth’s earliest land ecosystems. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec6277 Speeding up G-Quadruplex drug discovery with synchrotron light G-quadruplexes are unusual, folded structures that can form in DNA or RNA. They are found in chromosome ends, gene-control regions and some viral genomes, and are linked to cancer, infections and gene regulation. This makes them promising targets for anticancer and antiviral drug discovery. The challenge is that screening small molecules that bind to G-quadruplexes can be slow, material-intensive or unable to detect subtle structural changes. Researchers used high-throughput synchrotron radiation circular dichroism at the B23 beamline to measure these interactions quickly in 96-well plates, using very small sample volumes. The team tested three biologically relevant G-quadruplex sequences with a library of tetrazole-based molecules and a known G-quadruplex-binding peptide. The method detected changes in circular dichroism signals and spectral shape, showing not only whether binding occurred, but also whether the G-quadruplex structure changed. Different molecules produced different spectral fingerprints depending on the G-quadruplex sequence and the surrounding ions. The work shows that B23’s high-throughput approach could help researchers rapidly prioritise promising G-quadruplex ligands for future therapeutic development. DOI: 10.3390/molecules30163322 A greener glue for solid-state batteries Solid-state batteries could offer safer, higher-energy storage as they use solid materials instead of flammable liquid electrolytes. Making them work well means combining several solid components, including cathode particles, solid electrolyte and conductive additives. These need a binder: a material that holds everything together while still allowing lithium ions to move through the battery. Many current binders are fluorinated polymers, which can be environmentally problematic and may face future regulatory restrictions. Researchers investigated whether a safer, recyclable, non-fluorinated binder could deliver similar performance. They designed block copolymer binders made from polyester and polycarbonate segments. One part provides mechanical strength, while the other supports lithium-ion movement. By changing the arrangement and amount of each component, the team could tune the binder’s balance of strength, flexibility and ion transport. The researchers tested the polymers as thin films, then used them in composite cathodes and full solid-state battery cells. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments at labSAXS helped study the binder structure. The new recyclable binders showed high-voltage stability, lithium- ion conductivity and battery performance rivalling fluorinated binders, offering a greener route towards practical solid-state batteries. DOI: 10.1039/D3SC05105F 19 20 Annual review 2025/26 Soft Condensed Matter Group