Abkehr von der Kernenergie, Ausbau von Solar- und Windkraft, Energiegewinnung aus Biomasse, Senkung des Energieverbrauchs. Bis 2050 soll die Schweiz klimaneutral werden. Ein ehrgeiziges Ziel, welches durch die zunehmend herausfordernde geopolitische Lage dringlicher denn je geworden ist. Wie lässt sich in den nächsten Jahren eine nachhaltige und widerstandsfähige Energieversorgung für die Schweiz aufbauen? Wie können erneuerbare Energien optimal genutzt werden? Welche neuen Technologien sind besonders vielversprechend? Am PSI suchen Forschende nach Antworten auf diese entscheidenden Fragen.
Correlation between Oxygen Vacancies and Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity for a Model Electrode: PrBaCo2O5+δ
The role of the perovskite lattice oxygen in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is systematically studied in the PrBaCo2O5+δ family. The reduced number of physical/chemical variables combined with in-depth characterizations such as neutron dif-fraction, O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), magnetization and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies, helps investigating the complex correlation between OER activity and a single perovskite property, such as the oxygen content. Larger amount of oxygen vacancies appears to facilitate the OER, possibly contributing to the mechanism involving the oxidation of lattice oxygen, i.e., the lattice oxygen evolution reaction (LOER). Furthermore, not only the number of vacancies but also their local arrangement in the perovskite lattice influences the OER activity, with a clear drop for the more stable, ordered stoichiometry.
TATTOOS - innovative Radiopharmaka für die Theragnostik
Online Symposium über die Bereitstellung innovativer diagnostischer und therapeutischer Radiopharmaka für einen Paradigmenwechsel in der Krebstherapie
Der Ansatz, Radioisotope desselben Elements für die Theragnostik zu verwenden, wurde in früheren präklinischen Studien erfolgreich untersucht. Das PSI-Infrastrukturprojekt Tattoos wird die Produktion und anschließende Untersuchung von vier interessanten "Schwester"-Radionukliden des Terbiums für alle Ansätze der diagnostischen und therapeutischen Nuklearmedizin ermöglichen. Das von den PSI-Spezialisten veranstaltete virtuelle Mini-Symposium wird interessierten Teilnehmern die Möglichkeit geben, Experten auf diesem aufstrebenden Gebiet der personalisierten Medizin zu hören und zu befragen.
Nähere Informationen zum Programm sowie zur Anmeldung zum online Symposium finden Sie hier:
https://www.psi.ch/de/zrw/tattoos-mini-symposium
Final Report of the IMPEGA project
The final report of the IMPEGA project has been released!
Kompakt und leistungsstark wie ein Schweizer Taschenmesser
Der Freie-Elektronen-Röntgenlaser SwissFEL ist tatsächlich so kompakt, stark und vielseitig, wie er geplant war.
LMN PhD-student Thomas Mortelmans wins best talk award
Every year, during the winter months, PhD students of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute take part in the SNI: Nano in the snow PhD school. Currently, as COVID-19 is still omnipresent in our everyday it happened virtually this year and Thomas Mortelmans took part. He said: “It was an exciting day filled with excellent scientific content from a variety of research fields; ranging from quantum physics, to protein engineering and drug delivery. During these events, the interdisciplinary of SNI is nicely highlighted and the benefit of joined research projects across scientific disciplines can be seen.”
Thomas gave an interdisciplinary introduction to the field of microfluidics and was awarded with the prize of best talk.
New class of substances for REDOX chemistry
The compounds known as ‘pyrazinacenes’ are simple, stable compounds that consist of a series of connected nitrogen-containing carbon rings. They are suitable for applications in electrochemistry or synthesis, as the researchers describe in the science journal Communications Chemistry. They were first designed, synthesized and chemically characterized in solution by the Hill team and carefully investigated by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Surface Chemical Analysis. The compounds have been shown to reversibly release and accept electrons and arrange themselves differently depending on the oxidation state. Interestingly, the oxidation and reduction reactions of the pyrazinacenes are not only affected by a chemical impulse, but can also be stimulated by light so they can be considered photo-redox active.
Using X-ray emission spectroscopy to study the electronic properties of single atom catalysts
Single atom catalysts hold great promise as O2- or CO2-reduction electrocatalysts, but a deeper understanding of their active sites’ structure and electronic properties is needed in order to render them sufficiently active and stable. To this end, we have used X-ray emission spectroscopy to determine these catalysts’ electronic configuration, and performed in situ measurements that unveil the effect of potential on this key feature.
Hercules School 2021 at PSI
During the week of March 15 – 19, we had the pleasure to welcome 20 international PhD students, PostDocs and assistant professors at PSI, taking part in the first virtual Hercules School on Neutrons & Synchrotron Radiation.
Für eine Million Jahre sicher verwahrt
Die Schweiz plant, bis zum Jahr 2050 ein Tiefenlager für ihre radioaktiven Abfälle zu errichten. Forschende am PSI helfen dabei herauszufinden, welcher Standort am geeignetsten ist.
Important elementary reactions of lignin catalytic pyrolysis revealed
To develop sustainable lignin valorization strategies, a solid understanding of the underlying reaction mechanism is critical. By detection of highly reactive and elusive intermediates, new light could be shed on one of the most basic elementary reactions in lignin catalytic fast pyrolysis.
Observation of novel charge ordering and spin reorientation in perovskite oxide PbFeO3
PbMO3 (M = 3d transition metals) family shows systematic variations in charge distribution and intriguing physical properties due to its delicate energy balance between Pb 6s and transition metal 3d orbitals. However, the detailed structure and physical properties of PbFeO3 remain unclear. Herein, we reveal that PbFeO3 crystallizes into an unusual 2ap × 6ap × 2ap orthorhombic perovskite super unit cell with space group Cmcm.
Online-Event: Innovation - Wettbewerbsvorteile durch Zusammenarbeit zwischen Forschung und Industrie
Best Practice Meeting // Dienstag, 20.April 2021, 17:00 – 18:30 Uhr
Am 20. April organisiert die Schweizerische Management Gesellschaft (SMG) von 17:00 – 18:30 Uhr ein virtuelles Best Practice Event, zu welchem wir interessierte Stakeholder aus Industrie und Akademie herzlich einladen.
HERCULES SCHOOL 2021 AT PSI
During the week of March 15 – 19, we had the pleasure to welcome 20 international PhD students, PostDocs and assistant professors at PSI, taking part in the first virtual HERCULES SCHOOL on Neutrons & Synchrotron Radiation.
Aerosolbildung in Wolken
Forschende des PSI zeigen erstmals, wie chemische Reaktionen in Wolken das weltweite Klima beeinflussen können.
2020 Highly Cited Researchers
Once more in 2020: Three LAC researchers were highly cited.
Lehrberufe à la carte 2021 (abgesagt)
Am 20. Juni 2021 präsentiert das PSI seine 15 verschiedenen Lehrberufe. Auch das Schülerlabor iLab öffnet an diesem Sonntag seine Türen.
Feinstaub ist gefährlicher als gedacht
Präziser Blick in feinste Partikel in der Luft zeigt, wie gesundheitsschädliche Verbindungen entstehen.
Berufe auch für Frauen!
Möchtet Ihr in eine, vielleicht fremde, Berufswelt eintauchen? Hier zeigen 4 junge Frauen in unterschiedlichen Berufen etwas aus ihrem Alltag, den Arbeitsplatz und über ihre Erfahrungen, die sie bereits in der Lehre am PSI gemacht haben.
Charge density waves in cuprate superconductors beyond thecritical doping
The unconventional normal-state properties of the cuprates are often discussed in terms of emergent electronic order that onsets below a putative critical doping of xc≈0.19. Charge density wave (CDW) correlations represent one such order; however, experimental evidence for such order generally spans a limited range of doping that falls short of the critical value xc, leading to questions regarding its essential relevance. Here, we use X-ray diffraction to demonstrate that CDW correlations in La2−xSrxCuO4 persist up to a doping of at least x=0.21.
Looking inside airborne particles for the chemistry responsible for their adverse health effects.
Chemical changes inside of breathable airborne particles can cause reactive oxygen species (ROS) and carbon centered radicals (CCRs) to form, which are harmful to our bodies and induce oxidative stress in lungs. Using X-ray spectromicroscopy at the PolLux beamline and mimicking the environmental and sunlit conditions aerosol particles experience in the atmosphere near the Earth Surface, it was recently found that highly viscous organic particles with low water content can attain high concentrations of ROS and CCRs that persist over long times. Natural particles like these will occur in ambient humidity below 60% and effectively trap ROS and CCRs inside that react when exposed to light.
EPS Council
Thomas A. Jung has been elected as a delegate of the Associate Members of the European Physical Society. As a member he shall contribute to the reviewing of the activities of the Society, the annual accounts and to the discussion of future priorities and new activities.
SCCER Mobility White Paper
New SCCER Mobility white paper on "Pathways to a net zero CO2 Swiss mobility system" is now online!
15th International Conference on Muon Spin Rotation postponed to 2022
Because of the coronavirus situation, the 15th International Conference on Muon Spin Rotation, Relaxation and Resonance (µSR2020) has been postponed to 2022, Aug 28 - Sep 02.
Information for SµS Users March 2021
Despite some limitations due to the Covid crisis the shutdown works at SµS have proceeded as planned so far, and the µSR instruments will be ready for operation on April 12, when HIPA operation is foreseen. However, as Swiss and foreign travel restrictions apply (https://www.psi.ch/en/useroffice/news/new-coronavirus-recommendations-for-travellers) it is not yet clear how user experiments at SµS will be conducted in the upcoming beam period. We will update information about this on our webpage as soon as possible.
Spin-wave emission from vortex cores under static magnetic bias fields
Employing time-resolved STXM imaging, researchers investigated the emission of spin waves from a magnetic vortex core. By applying static magnetic fields, the control of both the shape of the vortex core and of the spatial profile of the emitted spin waves could be demonstrated, allowing for the fabrication of field-tunable spin wave focusing elements.
Buried moiré supercells through SrTiO3 nanolayer relaxation
The authors find that an annealing process can create a highly ordered network of two-dimensional line defects at the buried interface between a relaxed film and its substrate. The low dimensional network spacing is directly related to the lattice mismatch and can correspondingly be tuned by the choice of substrate.
12th Meeting of the European MELCOR and MACCS User Group
NUBIKI Nuclear Safety Research Institute as a WEBINAR 12-16 April 2021
New group members
Marie-Christine Zdora, Umut Sanli and Talgat Mamyrbayev officially join the X-ray Optics and Applications group as Post-Docs. We wish them every success!
Insights into the world’s oldest pile carpet
High-resolution XRF imaging of the specific metal distribution within wool fibers at the PHOENIX beamline gives insights into traditional oriental dyeing procedures.
Forschung zu Covid-19 am Paul Scherrer Institut
Während viele Bereiche des Lebens eingeschränkt sind, bleiben wichtige Forschungsanlagen am PSI in Betrieb.