Research at XRD1

Protein Crystallography

Small Molecules

Protein crystallography is one of the most powerful techniques for the determination of 3D structure at atomic level of proteins and large cell macromolecules. The Si 111 monochromator allows to select the energy in the range 4 to 21 keV, in MAD experiments it is necessary to perform fine scans in wavelength to determine the absorption edge of a specific element

The small molecules studies take advantage from the high intensity of the x-ray beam and from its natural collimation.

Powder Diffraction

Holography

Powder diffraction is an analytical tool for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of crystalline materials. It is widely used for polycrystalline compound. Synchrotron sources provide powerful tools to this technique that take advantage by intense and high collimated x-ray beams.

In the internal source holography, fluorescence from the atoms inside the sample is excited, and the emitted spherical wave, approaching the far-field detector directly, forms the holographic reference wave. In other direction it is scattered by neighbouring atoms, thus giving the holographic object wave.

MOFs

Grazing Incidence

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of compounds consisting of metal ions or clusters coordinated to organic ligands to form one-, two-, or three-dimensional structures. They are often porous and have potential application as energy storage, gas and carbon capture materials
supramolecular chemistry

Grazing incidence X-ray, typically from a crystalline structure, uses small incident angles for the incoming X-ray beam, so that diffraction can be made surface sensitive. It is used to study surfaces and layers because wave penetration is limited.