A Catalan-German collaboration has developed an innovative three-shell structure with the aim of improving future organic solar cells. XALOC beamline of the ALBA Synchrotron offered structural insights of this new system.
For the first time, it has been demonstrated that oxygen functionalities (epoxy, carbonyl, and lactone) on the carbon electrode surface do not affect the kinetics of one-electron oxygen reduction in aprotic media, but enhance both the rate of electrochemical lithium peroxide (Li2O2) formation and carbon degradation in Li+-containing electrolytes. The research has included analysis using synchrotron light at Elettra and ALBA facilities.
An experiment led by Tanja Ducic, scientist at the MIRAS beamline of ALBA, is analyzing live cells with synchrotron-based Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify crucial potential biomarkers in order to target them and to help develop new therapeutic strategies.
In a study published in Advanced Functional Materials, researchers show the synthesis optimization of NCM622 cathode material for Lithium-ion batteries, achieving both lower energy capacity cost and high cyclability. The results can be directly applied to production of better Li-ion batteries for modern electronics. Reaction was investigated using in situ X-Ray Diffraction technique at the MSPD beamline in the ALBA Synchrotron.
Large research facilities like the ALBA Synchrotron have become versatile infrastructures at the service of the scientific community to develop knowledge and join forces in the fight against the pandemic caused by Covid-19 and other diseases. On the World Health Day, ALBA takes stock of the experiments carried out in the last year that help to find answers to improve our living conditions.
