Research

A climate-neutral energy system requires efficient energy storage and energy conversion devices. These devices only work because of the movement of lighter elements such as hydrogen, lithium or sodium. Neutron beams make these elements particularly visible and easy to see in the presence of heavier elements. Scientists use neutrons, for example, to study water exchange and proton movement in fuel cells or the migration of lithium in Li-ion batteries. Since neutrons penetrate deep into matter, researchers can carry out their investigations while the devices are in operation, for example during the charging and discharging of batteries. This makes it possible to select the best materials, improve the geometry and identify the causes of performance losses and malfunctions. Several HBS instruments are suitable for this type of in-operando investigations.

Proteins are essential building blocks of life. Scientists already know the structures of over 200,000 proteins, determined using techniques such as X-ray scattering and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. However, to better understand the function of proteins, it is also necessary to study their structural changes and movements – in biological cells filled with other substances. Neutron beams are ideal for this purpose. They localise hydrogen and distinguish between cell components. With its bright, narrow neutron beams, the HBS reduces the amount of sample material required and improves the signal-to-background ratio. This helps to advance research.

With the high-performance neutron reflectometer at HBS, scientists will be able to study the structure of biological membranes in detail. Biological membranes consist of a complex mixture of fats, proteins and sugars. Many diseases result from changes in membranes. Neutron reflectometry also enables scientists to investigate the interaction of membranes with the body's own molecules. The HBS enables the investigation of small and therefore error-free membranes. The reduced radiation background allows for more detailed measurements.

The HBS will also efficiently produce medical radioisotopes and supply hospitals in the region with radioisotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Data storage devices, computer read heads, credit cards and many other sensors work thanks to magnetic materials. In these materials, the atoms behave like miniature bar magnets. The arrangement of these elementary magnets determines the magnetic properties of a material. A beam of neutrons with the same magnetic orientation detects the elementary magnets in the material, just like a compass needle detects a magnet in its vicinity. This is why scientists can study magnetic materials so well with the help of polarised neutrons. Over 90 percent of all magnetic structures have been characterised using neutrons.

At the HBS, researchers will use the neutron diffractometer to determine both the chemical composition and the magnetic structure of crystals. The multi-purpose instrument at HBS is particularly useful when researchers want to measure materials in which structural and magnetic changes are linked.

Quantum computers and the transmission of quantum information require special materials, for example in the case of qubits, which must function as error-free as possible. Neutron radiation helps scientists discover new materials with special quantum properties. This is because such materials must be investigated under extreme conditions – at very low temperatures, in very strong magnetic fields or under high pressure. The instruments at the HBS are perfectly suited to deciphering the complex processes in these quantum materials.

Due to the small diameter of the HBS neutron beam, researchers will be able to precisely target very small areas of samples. They can investigate defects, stress distributions and nanostructuring in ceramics and metals. Researchers also benefit from the fact that, unlike X-rays, neutrons can ‘see’ light oxygen atoms alongside heavy metal atoms. This is common in ceramics and significantly affects their properties. The ability to identify oxygen atoms is also crucial when developing corrosion-resistant metallic materials.

The HBS is able to help recycle valuable raw materials efficiently. One example of such raw materials are rare earths, needed for electric car motors and generators in wind turbines, among other things. China dominates the global market for these raw materials. The mining and processing of rare earths and other metallic raw materials also often cause considerable environmental damage. Recycling offers a way out of this situation. To do this, the raw materials in electronic waste must be identified and their quantities determined. At HBS, this is achieved using a specific measurement method called prompt gamma activation analysis.

The HBS supports researchers in developing catalysts that accelerate many large-scale processes in the chemical industry. This is the only reason why many everyday products can be manufactured at low cost. Catalysts often work by temporarily attaching starting materials or intermediate products of a chemical reaction to an internal or external surface. Such surfaces can be found in porous materials, for example. Neutrons penetrate the chemical (model) reactors, enabling catalytic processes inside them to be tracked. They also reveal information about the vibrations of atoms in molecules. These are as characteristic of each molecule as a fingerprint is of a human being. Neutrons thus provide scientists with information about the substances that are formed in or on the catalyst.

The HBS will also enable researchers to investigate the forces and processes at solid/liquid or liquid/gas interfaces particularly well. Such interfaces stabilise emulsions and foams, for example in cosmetics or cleaning agents.

Experiments on neutron decay and dipole moments could reveal deviations from the Standard Model of particle physics. This model, which has been proven for decades, describes all the building blocks of matter and the forces that bind them together. Nevertheless, many physicists are convinced that it is incomplete.