Neutron instrument BioRef arrived safely in Down Under

The SPATZ team of ANSTO was glad about the arrival of the former HZB neutron instrument BioRef. It will be set up until 2018 in Australia. photo: ANSTO.

The SPATZ team of ANSTO was glad about the arrival of the former HZB neutron instrument BioRef. It will be set up until 2018 in Australia. photo: ANSTO.

As reported, the neutron instrument BioRef will be set up at the “Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering” of ANSTO. Approximately 257 components were safely packed in 43 wooden crates weighing just under 30 tonnes for the sea voyage from Hamburg to Port Botany, Australia. On 14 February the colleagues from ANSTO told us: the three shipping containers arrived safely after a two-month journey from Germany.

The ship transporting the packaged crates stopped at seven ports on the 45-day voyage which covered over 11,800 nautical miles.

The ship transporting the packaged crates stopped at seven ports on the 45-day voyage which covered over 11,800 nautical miles. - See more at: http://www.ansto.gov.au/AboutANSTO/MediaCentre/News/ACS124610#sthash.WLX9dQNg.bL2NpYAE.dpuf

ANSTO and HZB negotiated the transfer of the instrument from the BER-II Research Reactor at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and renewed a MOU for scientific collaboration with the renowned German research organisation in 2016. The instrument will be set up at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS) until 2018. The new name is SPATZ, the German word for sparrow. It follows the tradition of the naming convention of other instruments at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, which are named after Australian and other fauna. SPATZ will be available for user from Germany, too.

Read more here

(sz)

  • Copy link

You might also be interested in

  • AI in Chemistry: Study Highlights Strengths and Weaknesses
    News
    04.06.2025
    AI in Chemistry: Study Highlights Strengths and Weaknesses
    How well does artificial intelligence perform compared to human experts? A research team at HIPOLE Jena set out to answer this question in the field of chemistry. Using a newly developed evaluation method called “ChemBench,” the researchers compared the performance of modern language models such as GPT-4 with that of experienced chemists. 

  • TH Wildau and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin signed comprehensive cooperation
    News
    30.05.2025
    TH Wildau and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin signed comprehensive cooperation
    On 21 May 2025, the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau (TH Wildau) and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB), signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement. The aim is to further promote networking and cooperation, particularly in basic research, to increase the scientific excellence of both partners and to develop competence networks in research, teaching and the training of young scientists.

  • Green hydrogen: MXene boosts the effectiveness of catalysts
    Science Highlight
    29.05.2025
    Green hydrogen: MXene boosts the effectiveness of catalysts
    MXenes are adept at hosting catalytically active particles. This property can be exploited to create more potent catalyst materials that significantly accelerate and enhance the oxygen evolution reaction, which is one of the bottlenecks in the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis using solar or wind power. A detailed study by an international team led by HZB chemist Michelle Browne shows the potential of these new materials for future large-scale applications. The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials.