HZB makes new contacts with Argentinian Neutron Beams Laboratory
Photo (from left to right): Dr. Javier Santisteban, scientific director of LAHN, Thomas Frederking, administrative director of HZB, Karina Pierpauli, CEO of LAHN, and Prof. Dr. Bernd Rech, scientific director of HZB. They came together to sign the agreement in Berlin.photo: Silvia Zerbe
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Argentinian Neutron Beams Laboratory, LAHN (Laboratorio Argentino de Haces de Neutrones). Through this cooperation, HZB will be advising Argentinian researchers on the construction of two neutron instruments. Also planned is an exchange programme for researchers from both countries.
LAHN plans to build an instrument for residual stress analysis and for neutron tomography at its research reactor RA-10. The researchers from Buenos Aires will be receiving advice from HZB scientists who are world-renowned for their many years of expertise in the development of neutron experiments. As one of the first concrete measures, a postdoc from Argentina will be arriving at HZB at the beginning of 2018 and will receive training from the experts on site.
Visiting HZB for the signing of the agreement at the end of September 2017 were the LAHN CEO and engineer Karina Pierpauli and the scientific director Dr. Javier Santisteban. The two guests visited the experimental halls of the research reactor BER II and met for discussions with HZB managers and neutron researchers. “Through this cooperation with LAHN, we are increasing the knowledge transfer and forging ahead with the internationalisation strategy of HZB,” says Dr. Catalina Elena Jimenez, the responsible spokesperson for internationalisation in the HZB management office.
Cooperation partners: Laboratorio Argentino de Haces de Neutrones
- Porous Radical Organic framework improves lithium-sulphur batteriesA team led by Prof. Yan Lu, HZB, and Prof. Arne Thomas, Technical University of Berlin, has developed a material that enhances the capacity and stability of lithium-sulphur batteries. The material is based on polymers that form a framework with open pores (known as radical-cationic covalent organic frameworks or COFs). Catalytically accelerated reactions take place in these pores, firmly trapping polysulphides, which would shorten the battery life. Some of the experimental analyses were conducted at the BAMline at BESSY II.
- Metallic nanocatalysts: what really happens during catalysisUsing a combination of spectromicroscopy at BESSY II and microscopic analyses at DESY's NanoLab, a team has gained new insights into the chemical behaviour of nanocatalysts during catalysis. The nanoparticles consisted of a platinum core with a rhodium shell. This configuration allows a better understanding of structural changes in, for example, rhodium-platinum catalysts for emission control. The results show that under typical catalytic conditions, some of the rhodium in the shell can diffuse into the interior of the nanoparticles. However, most of it remains on the surface and oxidises. This process is strongly dependent on the surface orientation of the nanoparticle facets.
- KlarText Prize for Hanna TrzesniowskiThe chemist has been awarded the prestigious KlarText Prize for Science Communication by the Klaus Tschira Foundation.