The Instituto de Tecnología Química (CSIC-UPV) leads a work that describes a new method for the industrial purification of ethylene, one of the largest chemical processes in the world and the basis for a multitude of chemical products in our daily lives. Experiments carried out at NOTOS beamline of ALBA contribute to the results.
In recognition of the facility's strategy to implement the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, the ALBA Synchrotron has been given the HRS4R Award. The next three years, ALBA will implement a detailed action plan aimed at improving the quality and impact of research and promoting policies and practices to select, develop and retain staff.
A team from the Materials Science Institute of Madrid -CSIC) leads an international research that synthetized a zeolite with extra-large pores by expanding and connecting silica chains. This material has applications in water and gas decontamination and catalysis. Experiments carried out at the MSPD beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron had a key role in determining the structure of the zeolite.
X-rays produced at the ALBA Synchrotron have enabled to determine 1,000 protein structures in a decade. Number 1,000 is part of a study led by CSIC scientists that can contribute to design new therapies. XALOC beamline at ALBA, devoted to macromolecular crystallography, has made possible this achievement.
It will offer a unique platform of 69 infrastructures, including synchrotron, electron microscopy, laser, ion beam, neutron, clean room, and soft matter research infrastructures as well as high performance computing. ALBA is one of the partners of the project. The kick-off meeting took place in Hamburg (Germany) on 14-15 March 2024.
Lithium and Sodium-ion batteries are under investigation in the framework of the in-house research at the CLÆSS beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron, in collaboration with international partners since 2014, to contribute to the worldwide research of new materials allowing the global economy change toward net zero CO2 emission. Recently, the research team reported the effect of nickel for iron substitution in the battery cathode on their electrochemical properties, applying a new experimental approach.
One more year the ALBA Synchrotron held the HERCULES European School. All week from 11th to 15th March was fully dedicated to the 20 young researchers from all over the world coming to learn the different techniques we have in our synchrotron.
Representatives of the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) have visited the ALBA Synchrotron on the occasion of the Follow-up Committee of the ERDF Program of Catalonia 2021-2027.
An international research team led by scientists from INMA and CFM in collaboration with the BOREAS beamline of ALBA achieve two-dimensional ferromagnetism on a metal-organic framework for the first time, a result that has been sought for the last two decades. This metal-organic network exhibits huge perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, large remanence at finite temperatures and a much larger coercive field than any other reported two-dimensional system, prone to be implemented as the thinnest magnet ever observed so far.
FaXToR, the 13th beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron and currently under construction, got for the first time synchrotron radiation in the optical hutch. This in an important achievement for the beamline and its scientists –Alessandra Patera (beamline responsible), Federico Cova and Victorien Bouffetier–, reached thanks to the contributions of many people. Congratulations to everybody that contributed to this result! This project has been co-funded with ERDF funds.
Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found a new way to make small, targeted changes in a magnetic system called artificial spin ice (ASI). ASIs are materials with a wide range of emergent properties, such as computation. Controlling when, where, and how their magnetic domains change can be crucial for technological applications like physical reservoir computing. The new method has been called “astroid clocking” and the main experiment was performed at ALBA, at the PEEM branch of the CIRCE beamline, where the microscope resolves the magnetic state of each individual nanomagnet using synchrotron light.
Researchers at the CNIO, the CRG and the IBMB-CSIC solve a key problem in biology: how human cells build their microtubules. During cell division, microtubules are responsible of distributing the genetic material to each daughter cell. Sample preparation and microtubules high-resolution image acquisition were performed at the IBMB-CSIC’s Electron Cryomicroscopy Platform, located at the Joint Electron Microscopy Center (JEMCA), inside the ALBA Synchrotron. The work published in Science lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases ranging from cancer to neurodevelopmental disorders.
A research lead by the University of the Basque Country, in collaboration with the University of Alicante and the ALBA Synchrotron, has combined for the first time NAP-XPS experiments at CIRCE beamline of ALBA with in situ FTIR experiments to establish a complete reaction scheme for CO2 methanation over novel catalyst. Methanation is the conversion of CO2 to methane, which can be recycled for use as a fuel or a chemical as well as by contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions.
More than 120 people attended the ALBA II Symposium, held at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid the 18-19 January 2024, and engaged in lively discussions and ideas exchange about the future of the ALBA Synchrotron.
Researchers from Stockholm University, ALBA, and DESY have determined the chemical state of ammonia catalyst during the reaction for the first time. These results, partially obtained at the DESY light source in Germany, show the huge potential of the 3Sbar beamline currently under construction at the ALBA Synchrotron.
A multidisciplinary research team lead by researchers from CIC bioGUNE has revealed the structure of one of the cellular machineries for protein recycling. This machinery is responsible for transporting and reusing over 60 different proteins. Experiments carried out at the XALOC beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron enabled the understanding of the protein recycling process at an atomic level.
Just before the Winter shutdown, XAIRA beamline achieved another key milestone: the first data set being collected from a protein crystal. A great success that highlights the steady advance of the beamline, reached thanks to the efforts of many people!
A research team lead by the Institut de Ciències de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) has published a new study on polyimides, a promising material for cathodes in metal-organic batteries, a more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Operando measurements were performed, for the first time, at the MIRAS beamline.
The ALBA Synchrotron is organizing an event on 18-19th January in Universidad Autónoma de Madrid aimed at giving ownership to the synchrotron user community and to promote awareness of the new potentials of the ALBA II project.
The ALBA Synchrotron has now 11 operational beamlines, once MINERVA has finished its commissioning. The new beamline, built in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), will be mainly used during the first years of operation to measure optical elements for the Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (NewATHENA).
Scientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and the ALBA Synchrotron published a new paper in the journal Scientific Reports about mercury speciation in selenium biofortified wheat plants exposed to mercury pollution. X-rays absorption spectroscopy measurements were performed at CLÆSS beamline of ALBA to investigate the chemical state of mercury in the cultivated wheat plants.
On 29th and 30th November the Macromolecular Crystallography Customized Beamline Environment Meeting was held at the ALBA Synchrotron. Around 70 attendants from different synchrotrons and other international facilities participated in the meeting to talk about progress of the different collaborating institutions and future developments of this software.
Last Friday 1st December 2023, the ALBA Synchrotron hosted an event where more than 70 companies could know beforehand the upgrade plans and future technology needs of some of the European facilities, including ALBA. The session was very positive and useful, enabling direct contact between companies and facilities.
Statement from the ALBA Synchrotron regarding the fire outbreak on December 2, 2023
Caterina Biscari, director of the facility, collected the award in a ceremony held the 29th of November at Fira Sabadell, with the attendance of companies from the Vallès area.
Researchers from Universidad de Castilla la Mancha, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences – CSIC proved the potential of wine production residues as biopesticides in agriculture, thus reducing the waste management problem and contributing to a circular economy. Their work shows that recycled biochar from grape pomace is effective to reduce the parasitic nematode infection of tomato plants in pots. Biochar characterization by synchrotron light infrared spectroscopy was performed at MIRAS beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron.
The event will take place next 1st December 2023 at the ALBA Synchrotron and will be about the industry opportunities in light source infrastructures, such us the future ALBA II project.
The use of different microscopy and tomography techniques, including synchrotron light, unveils how lung cells are modified along the infection in cell culture models. The work is the result of the European consortium CoCID (Compact Cell Imaging Device) with the participation of CSIC groups and the ALBA Synchrotron.
Researchers at the UAB and ICMAB-CSIC have succeeded in bringing wireless technology to the fundamental level of magnetic devices. The emergence and control of magnetic properties in cobalt nitride layers (initially non-magnetic) by voltage, without connecting the sample to electrical wiring represents a paradigm shift that can facilitate the creation of magnetic nanorobots for biomedicine and computing systems where basic information management processes do not require wiring. Part of the experiments were performed at BOREAS beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron.
The ALBA Synchrotron Light Source and the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) have opened a new laboratory at ALBA with the aim to enhance studies in the field of battery research and high temperature superconducting tape developments. The new facility enables users of ALBA, including the important community of CSIC researchers, to significantly optimize experiments involving synchrotron light. The project was jointly funded by the CSIC PTI+ TransEner, funded by the European NextGeneration funds and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and ALBA.
The European research project ReMade@ARI, where the ALBA Synchrotron participates, has opened a specific call to conduct industrial experiments in the field of circular economy. The call is open until 28 November 2023 and enables access to more than 50 European research infrastructures, including synchrotron and neutron facilities or electron microscopy platforms, among others.
Scientists from EPFL and CSEM have made remarkable progress in the photovoltaics field, specifically in perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells, by achieving an impressive efficiency of 31.25%. This noteworthy accomplishment is a result of advancements in materials and processes that have successfully unlocked the true potential of this emerging technology. Studies at NCD-SWEET beamline of ALBA have been carried out to analyse these materials. The scientific breakthrough behind this milestone has been published in Science, representing a significant step towards a greener, cleaner energy future and the ongoing energy transition.
Researchers from different universities and research facilities, have unveiled how a topological semimetal reacts under high pressure. This compound has great potential in multiple applications such as optical detectors, spintronics, water-splitting devices or 2D field effect transistors. By using X-ray diffraction at the ALBA Synchrotron and Elettra (Italy), along with other techniques, they found out the structural, vibrational and electronic fingerprints of two pressure-induced phase transitions in this material/compound. Results have been published in Materials Today Advances.
Primary school teachers can sign up their groups of 10-12 years old children for the sixth edition of ALBA Mission at www.misionalba.es. From its beginning, 59.000 students from all over Spain have participated in this science educational project of ALBA. Registration open till 13th October 2023.
CNR, University of Florence and ICMol researchers in collaboration with the ALBA Synchrotron (BOREAS beamline) demonstrated that a spin-crossover (SCO) phenomenon can be observed in a monolayer of Cobalt (II) complexes anchored from solution to a metallic substrate. This strategy paves the way to the realization of smart SCO nanodevices through soft methodologies with prospective applications in spintronics.
Scientists from ICN2 and IREC used the electron microscope dedicated to materials science at JEMCA to study the atomic structure of catalytic materials that are crucial for the functioning of a new type of battery. The images obtained with the microscope were key to resolving the atomic structure of the nanoparticles of spinel catalysts. The results have been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. JEMCA, located at ALBA, was inaugurated in February 2023.
A research led by ITQ (UPV-CSIC) has demonstrated the possibility to replace molecular catalysts in solution for all-solid catalysts based on isolated metal atoms for selective gas-phase ethylene hydroformylation, an important industrial chemical reaction. The discovery paves the way for greener chemical processes, with greater energy efficiency and lower carbon footprint, for the valorization of unconventional raw materials, alternative to crude oil. To test the designed catalyst, synchrotron light techniques have been used, among others, at the ALBA Synchrotron.
ALBA researchers from the XALOC beamline have discovered a common transcription factor protein domain in bacteria and humans. They named it TetD. This discovery shows that the basic functional principles of the system are very similar for living beings and suggests the existence of a common ancestor before multicellular life appeared. Moreover, the human protein that presents TetD is related with the occurrence of cancer, thus this study can help in the understanding of the regulation of cancer development.
A team of international researchers from Spain (ICMAB, EUSS, ICN2, INMA, ICMM, ALBA) and UK (University of Southampton) have discovered a method to synthesize carborane-based Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) incorporating any desired combination of multiple rare earth ions. The optical, thermal and magnetic properties of a proof-of-concept multi-metallic MOF including 8 different rare earth ions have been reported. Element-selective XAS & XMCD spectroscopy at BOREAS beamline of ALBA was used to characterize the individual magnetic properties of the 8 ions. This innovative approach allows for multifunctionality à la carte, and this newly discovered multi-metallic MOFs could have potential applications in fields such as quantum computing, luminescence, anticounterfeiting and thermometry.
The radiofrequency (RF) group of ALBA has designed and built a prototype of a 3rd harmonic cavity. It will significantly increase the beam lifetime at the Storage Ring and the beam stability, both for the current ALBA Synchrotron and the future ALBA II. The prototype passed successfully the first tests and is now installed at the BESSY II synchrotron in Berlin to be tested with beam, in the frame of a collaboration with the German laboratories HZB and DESY.
Scientists from the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC) have used the electron microscope devoted to structural biology of the new JEMCA center, located at the ALBA Synchrotron, to study at the atomic level transposases, enzymes that catalyze DNA rearrangements events. The results have been published in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers from TU Wien have studied the structural evolution of gold nanoclusters catalysts during pretreatment and reaction conditions. The results, published in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, are the first reported from NOTOS beamline.
About 45 people from 20 companies visited the ALBA Synchrotron last Friday to participate in a workshop to learn first-hand how synchrotron techniques are used to research and develop recyclable chemicals, as well as metals, plastics, catalysts, pigments and other recyclable materials to boost industry innovation.
New insights about the symbiosis between microbial organisms have been revealed. It is known microorganisms have magnetic properties that allow them to navigate collectively in sediments. Now, a new work opens the way to apply interdisciplinary approaches between materials science and these microbial organisms to understand mechanisms associated with the emergence of new biological functions. Studies at MISTRAL beamline of ALBA have contributed to understand how the bacteria symbionts physically interact with their host and the origin of the magnetic properties of the ensemble.
DocFam+ (DOCtoral training programme in Functional Advanced Materials: Towards a Better Future) is a doctoral programme for the recruitment of 26 excellent doctoral researchers led by the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC). The first call is opened till 15th July offering 13 doctoral positions.
The Opus One Orchestra, formed by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona lecturers and alumni, will be presenting their project to the world in a concert recorded at the ALBA Synchrotron, which will be broadcast live on tomorrow 25 May at 9 p.m. on the UAB's YouTube channel. Musicians play in the heart of the synchrotron, on the accelerator tunnel roof, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the album "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield.
The 20th of May 2023, the ALBA Synchrotron opened its doors to the general public in the first Open Day held after the pandemic. A large number of visitors could enjoy a day of celebration of science and technology in our premises.
A research led by the ITQ-CSIC-UPV has discovered a new catalyst enabling hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methane with advantages not seen until now. This new catalyst, whose structure and mechanism have been understood by synergistically exploiting different ALBA Synchrotron techniques, can be used for methane (natural syngas) production, that is considered as a promising energy carrier for hydrogen storage.
One of the latest beamlines of ALBA, performing ARPES (Angle Resolved Photo-Emission Spectroscopy) experiments, has been essential for IMDEA Nanociencia and ICN2 researchers to demonstrate how the conducting surface states of a special class of materials -topological insulators- change due to the introduction of magnetic impurities via doping with a small amount of rare earth elements. These results will help understanding better the quantum anomalous Hall Effect which is essential in the development of spintronics.
The ReMAde@ARI project, offers subsidized access to advanced research infrastructures to small and medium companies in order to help them develop innovative products, manufacturing processes or new advanced materials in the Circular Economy sector. The Circular Economy target areas addressed with this project are, among others, plastics, packaging, automotive, batteries, electronics, construction, textiles, food, and any other industry sector focusing on recycling and reusing products or materials.
