MCX

Welcome to the MCX beamline!!

The Materials Characterisation by X-ray diffraction (MCX) beamline allows to perform a wide range of non-single crystal diffraction experiments: grazing angle diffraction and reflectivity, residual stress and texture analysis, phase identification and structural studies and kinetic studies. Systems that can be investigated vary from organic and inorganic thin films, to thermally and/or mechanically modified surfaces of mechanic components, to polymers, catalysts and highly disordered materials in the form of films, powders, fibers. In addition to the scientific heritage, a valuable activity will be the support to technology and industrial production, both for specific tasks of non-destructive control and for the development of new products.

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Research Highlights

Interaction mediated growth of chitosan and fatty acid binary system at air-water and air-solid interfaces

The interaction of chitosan with bio-membranes is studied by interaction of chitosan with stearic acid in Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. Their structures, as extracted from x-ray reflectivity and AFM, are found strongly dependent on the chitosan mole fraction and the deposition pressure.

I. Ahmed et al., Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 514, 433 (2018)

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Non destructive XRD investigations on grisaille paint layerson stained glass windows

Non destructive and innovative XRD experiments on the MCX beamline allowed us to recognize the alteration products on the grisailles surface and to propose a mechanism for the formation of alteration patinae.


 
J.R. Plaisier et al., Acta IMEKO 6, 71 (2017)

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Structure of Sm- and Gd-doped ceria

In this study some still unexplained structural features of RE-doped ceria (RE≡Sm or Gd) are clarified by the use of synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction. Two structural models are proposed:  a fluoritic one, resembling the CeO₂ structure at low RE content, and a hybrid one, intermediate between CeO  and cubic RE₂O₃, at higher RE content.

C. Artini et al., Inorg. Chem. 54, 4126 (2015)

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Looking for potential nuclear waste disposal materials: Thermo-elastic behaviour of CsAlSiO4 (ABW)

The thermo-elastic behaviour of CsAlSiO₄ have been investigated up to 1000 °C. The microporous structure shows a remarkably anisotropic expansion and remains stable.


  G.D. Gatta et al., Microporous Mesoporous Mater., 163, 147 (2012).

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Residual stress and texture gradients in protective nickel coatings

The beamline MCX offers a perfect design and geometrical set-up for residual stress and texture analysis by X-ray diffraction. This work presents an example of application of X-ray diffraction to the study of residual stress and texture gradients in electrodeposited Nickel coatings.


M.Ortolani et al., Mater. Science Forum, 681, 115 (2011).

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Energy Storage : Groundbreaking electrode for potassium ion batteries

A titanium-based potassium-ion battery positive electrode with an extraordinarily high redox potential was structurally characterized by operando X-ray diffraction at MCX.


Fedotov et al, Nature Communications 11, 1484 (2020).

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Proposal Submission

We invite users and collaborators to discuss their proposals with the beamline local contacts well in advance before the submission deadline. This is crucial for a careful assessment of the experiment feasibility and may lead to improvements in the proposed experimental plan. For more info, please visit the user info section.

Call for proposals

The deadline for proposal submission for beamtime allocation from January 1st to June 30th, 2022 will be September 15th, 2021.