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- XRF (5)
- RFA (4)
- Radiography (4)
- Röntgenfluoreszenzanalyse (4)
- Silberstiftzeichnung (4)
- Silverpoint drawing (4)
- Water transport (4)
- X-ray spectrometry (4)
- Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) (3)
- Synchrotron X-ray imaging (3)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 6 Materialchemie (1)
- 6.3 Strukturanalytik (1)
New analyses of a series of very rare silverpoint drawings that were executed by Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (16061669) which are kept today in the Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings) of the State Museums of Berlin are reported here. Analysis of these drawings requires particular attention because the study has to be fully non-destructive and extremely sensitive. The metal alloy on the paper does not exceed some hundreds of µg/cm². Therefore, synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) is together with external micro-proton-induced X-ray emission the only well-suited method for the analyses of metalpoint drawings. In some primary work, about 25 German and Flemish metalpoint drawings were investigated using spatially resolved SR-XRF analysis at the BAMline at BESSY. This study enlarges the existing FrenchGerman database of metalpoint drawings dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, as these Rembrandt drawings originate from the 17th century where this graphical technique was even rarer and already obsolete. It also illustrates how SR-XRF analysis can reinforce art historical assumptions on the dating of drawings and their connection.
Synchrotron X-ray absorption edge imaging was used to investigate the ruthenium distribution in both fresh and aged Pt/Ru-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) of direct methanol fuel cells. MEAs aged in different ways were analyzed: artificially aged by MeOH depletion and aged for 1700 h in an operating fuel cell stack. An element sensitive tomographic technique – differential X-ray absorption edge tomography – was applied allowing for a 3D-visualization of the ruthenium distribution within the MEA. We found a markedly changed Ru distribution after aging which is correlated to the GDL structure, the flow field geometry, and CO2 transport in the methanol solution.
The three-dimensional water distribution and water transport paths in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and the adjacent micro-porous layer (MPL) of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) were analyzed during cell operation. The technique of quasi in-situ X-ray tomography was used for a 3D visualization of the water distribution and the structure of the GDL at different operating conditions. Based on findings from in-situ radiographic measurements water transport paths were detected and subsequently examined by tomography. The combination of these 2D and 3D techniques allows for a fully three-dimensionally resolved visualization of transport paths through the GDL.
Synchrotron X-ray radiography and tomography investigations of a custom-made polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell optimised for visualisation purposes are presented. The 3D water distribution and transport pathways in the porous carbon fibre gas diffusion layers (GDLs) were investigated. The authors found that water is not only moving from the GDL into the channel, but can also take the opposite way, that is, from the channel into free pore space of the GDL. Such movement of water into the opposite direction has been subject of speculations but has so far not yet been reported and might bring new insights into the general water transport behaviour, which might give new aspects to the general description of water transport processes and influence modelling assumptions to describe the process taking place in the GDL.
Current light microscopic methods such as serial sectioning, confocal microscopy or multiphoton microscopy are severely limited in their ability to analyse rather opaque biological structures in three dimensions, while electron optical methods offer either a good three-dimensional topographic visualization (scanning electron microscopy) or high-resolution imaging of very thin samples (transmission electron microscopy). However, sample preparation commonly results in a significant alteration and the destruction of the three-dimensional integrity of the specimen. Depending on the selected photon energy, the interaction between X-rays and biological matter provides semi-transparency of the specimen, allowing penetration of even large specimens. Based on the projection-slice theorem, angular projections can be used for tomographic imaging. This method is well developed in medical and materials science for structure sizes down to several micrometres and is considered as being non-destructive. Achieving a spatial and structural resolution that is sufficient for the imaging of cells inside biological tissues is difficult due to several experimental conditions. A major problem that cannot be resolved with conventional X-ray sources are the low differences in density and absorption contrast of cells and the surrounding tissue. Therefore, X-ray monochromatization coupled with a sufficiently high photon flux and coherent beam properties are key requirements and currently only possible with synchrotron-produced X-rays. In this study, we report on the three-dimensional morphological characterization of articular cartilage using synchrotron-generated X-rays demonstrating the spatial distribution of single cells inside the tissue and their quantification, while comparing our findings to conventional histological techniques.
A new high-resolution detector setup for neutron imaging has been developed based on infinity-corrected optics with high light collection, combined with customized mounting hardware. The system can easily be installed, handled and fitted to any existing facility, avoiding the necessity of complex optical systems or further improved electronics (CCD). This is the first time optical magnification higher than 1:1 has been used with scintillator-based neutron detectors, as well as the first implementation of infinity corrected optics for neutron imaging, achieving the smallest yet reported effective pixel size of 3.375 µm. A novel transparent crystal scintillator (GGG crystal) has been implemented with neutrons for the first time to overcome limitations of traditional powder scintillators (Li6/ZnS, Gadox). The standardized procedure for resolution measurements with the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) is summarized to facilitate comparison between instruments and facilities. Using this new detector setup, a resolution of 14.8 µm with a field of view of 6 mm × 6 mm has been achieved while maintaining reasonable count times. These advances open a wide range of new possible research applications and allow the potential for additional future developments.
Perforated gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) were investigated by means of in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography during operation. We found a strong influence of perforations on the water distribution and transport in the investigated Toray TGP-H-090 GDL. The water occurs mainly around the perforations, while the holes themselves show varying water distributions. Some remain dry, while most of them fill up with liquid water after a certain period or might serve as drainage volume for effective water transport.
Despite their enormous diversity, the bauplan of adult winged insects (pterygotes) is remarkably conservative since the Lower Devonian: a five-segmented head, a three-segmented thorax with three pairs of walking legs and an eleven-segmented abdomen without any non-sexual appendages 1 and 2. The only known exceptions are the abdominal appendages of adult male sepsid flies on the fourth segment; however, these are also used as copulatory organs and are supposedly maintained through sexual selection [3]. Here, we report a rod-like paired appendage from the third and fourth abdominal segments in adults of the Southeast-Asian Hemiptera taxon Bennini (Figure 1A,B; Supplemental information). These are fully musculated, innervated, and movable and bear highly organized sensory and secretory units. The appendages, termed LASSO (lateral abdominal sensory and secretory organs), are consistent in topology and structure in all species studied and not sexually dimorphic. The existence of these non-sexual abdominal appendages reveals the potential of the 300 million year old conserved bauplan of insects.
Investigation of fuel cell materials and liquid water transport by means of synchrotron imaging
(2013)
Synchrotron imaging allows addressing various important issues in fuel cell research, for example water distribution and transport. The water distribution in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) was observed quasi in-situ directly after operation by means of synchrotron tomography. The 3D data set was compared with the tomogram of a dry cell in order to separate the water distribution from cell materials. Engineered transport pathways realized by perforating holes through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) are a recent approach to optimize water transport and cell performance. For some parameter sets a cell performance increase and an improvement of stabilization have already been proven. We present high resolution investigations of the water distribution in perforated GDLs of operating PEMFCs by means of in-situ synchrotron radiography. The surrounding areas of the holes exhibited a distinct hydrophilic character.
Water evolution in the gas diffusion layer of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell was visualized in situ by means of synchrotron X-ray radiography. Cracks in the microporous layer were identified as start points of efficient liquid water transfer paths through the gas diffusion layer. Quantitative analysis of the water flow rate through those arbitrarily distributed cracks into the gas channel revealed that they have a strong influence on the overall liquid water transport. This could find entry into future material design and simulation.
In this investigation, synchrotron X-ray imaging was used to investigate the water distribution inside newly developed gas diffusion media in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. In-situ radiography was used to reveal the relationship between the structure of the microporous layer (MPL) and the water flow in a newly developed MPL equipped with randomly arranged holes. A strong influence of these holes on the overall water transport was found. This contribution provides a brief overview to some of our recent activities on this research field.
Compact pnCCD-based X-ray camera with high spatial and energy resolution: a color X-ray camera
(2011)
For many applications there is a requirement for nondestructive analytical investigation of the elemental distribution in a sample. With the improvement of X-ray optics and spectroscopic X-ray imagers, full field X-ray fluorescence (FF-XRF) methods are feasible. A new device for high-resolution X-ray imaging, an energy and spatial resolving X-ray camera, is presented. The basic idea behind this so-called 'color X-ray camera' (CXC) is to combine an energy dispersive array detector for X-rays, in this case a pnCCD, with polycapillary optics. Imaging is achieved using multiframe recording of the energy and the point of impact of single photons. The camera was tested using a laboratory 30 µm microfocus X-ray tube and synchrotron radiation from BESSY II at the BAMline facility. These experiments demonstrate the suitability of the camera for X-ray fluorescence analytics. The camera simultaneously records 69696 spectra with an energy resolution of 152 eV for manganese Kα with a spatial resolution of 50 µm over an imaging area of 12.7 × 12.7 mm². It is sensitive to photons in the energy region between 3 and 40 keV, limited by a 50 µm beryllium window, and the sensitive thickness of 450 µm of the chip. Online preview of the sample is possible as the software updates the sums of the counts for certain energy channel ranges during the measurement and displays 2-D false-color maps as well as spectra of selected regions. The complete data cube of 264 × 264 spectra is saved for further qualitative and quantitative processing.
We present a new high resolution X-ray imager based on a pnCCD detector and a polycapillary optics. The properties of the pnCCD like high quantum efficiency, high energy resolution and radiation hardness are maintained, while color corrected polycapillary lenses are used to direct the fluorescence photons from every spot on a sample to a corresponding pixel on the detector. The camera is sensitive to photons from 3 to 40 keV with still 30% quantum efficiency at 20 keV. The pnCCD is operated in split frame mode allowing a high frame rate of 400 Hz with an energy resolution of 152 eV for Mn Kα (5.9 keV) at 450 kcps. In single-photon counting mode (SPC), the time, energy and position of every fluorescence photon is recorded for every frame. A dedicated software enables the visualization of the elements distribution in real time without the need of post-processing the data. A description of the key components including detector, X-ray optics and camera is given. First experiments show the capability of the camera to perform fast full-field X-Ray Fluorescence (FF-XRF) for element analysis. The imaging performance with a magnifying optics (3×) has also been successfully tested.
Pilot studies have been carried out at the BAMline at BESSY II in collaboration with the Bundesanstalt
für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) on metal- and metalloid-containing compounds in biological
samples after electrophoretic protein separation. After sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and transfer onto a blotting membrane the distribution of selenium among
the proteins of testis homogenate of a rat and a wallaby was determined. The comparison with the
autoradiogram of 75Se-labeled proteins separated in the same way showed that of nine seleniumcontaining
proteins found in rat testis homogenate by autoradiography four could be detected by
synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence analysis (SRXRF).
This Report describes the certification of the reference material antimony implanted in Si/SiO2 intended to be used for calibration of surface and near surface analytical methods. It describes the preparation, homogeneity measurements and the analytical work performed for the certification of both Areal density of antimony Atoms (retained dose) and the isotope amount Ratio as well as giving considerations on the stability of the material.
In this work, a new setup for dispersive XAFS measurements is presented. This reproducible and scanningfree setup yields both time- and laterally-resolved XAFS experiments in a ‘single-shot’. It allows a straightforward adjustment for probing different elements covering many relevant applications in materials science. An incoming energetic broadband beam is diffracted by a Si (111) crystal after passing through the sample and collected by an area sensitive detector. Depending on the energy range of the incoming beam, XANES and/or EXAFS spectra can be recorded with a time resolution down to 1 s. The feasibility of this setup was demonstrated at the BAMline at BESSY II (Berlin, Germany) with reference Fe and Cu foils and the results are hereby presented and discussed. Additionally, an application where time resolution on the second scale is required is briefly evaluated. The presented example concerns studying early stages of zinc(II)2-methylimidazolate (ZIF-8) crystallization. This is particularly important for biomedical applications.
Rock porosity determination by combination of X-ray computerized tomography with mercury porosimetry
(1997)
Abstract First results are described of coupling of mercury porosimetry with X-ray computerized tomography (CT) as a new combination technique for rock porosity studies. This technique is suitable for rock samples with a pronounced mercury intrusion-extrusion hysteresis and includes CT measurements before and after mercury intrusion. The entrapped portion of mercury, when the pressure after the intrusion into the rock sample is reduced to 0.1 MPa, serves as a contrast agent in the porous network to localize spatial distribution of rock porosity by CT. The results obtained show that the mercury intrusion and therefore the porosity were quite different for the separate mineral phases. Therefore the combination of mercury porosimetry and computer tomography can give 3-D data on mineral-specific porosity distributions with additional pore size information. In contrast to mercury porosimetry as a single method, results of the combination technique with CT represent a direct visualization of porosity variation and do not depend on any special pore network model.
A new method for the physical characterization of rock matrices for use in site investigations of nuclear waste repositories has been developed. The method can provide information needed in the assessment of the performance of the geosphere working as a natural barrier retarding the migration of radionuclides by diffusion into the rock matrix. Most conventional methods for the physical characterization of rocks give only bulk information. The combination of mercury porosimetry and computer tomography can give 3-D data on mineral-specific porosity distributions with additional pore size information. Additionally, limits for mineral-specific internal surface areas can be estimated, which is essential for the assessment of water-rock interaction and reactive interaction with radionuclides (sorption). Results of measurements on granitic rock (granodiorite) from the Baltic shield are discussed and integrated with results by complementary methods.
The high-resolution synchrotron-based imaging stations at the BAMline (BESSY) and TopoTomo (ANKA)
(2008)
The BAMline at the BESSY light source in Berlin and the TopoTomo beamline at the ANKA synchrotron facility in Karlsruhe (both Germany) operate in the hard X-ray regime (above 6 keV) with similiar photon flux density. For typical imaging applications, a double multilayer monochromator or a filtered white beam is used. In order to optimise the field of view and the resolution of the available indirect pixel detectors, different optical systems have been installed, adapted, respectively, to a large field of view (macroscope) and to high spatial resolution (microscope). They can be combined with different camera systems, ranging from 16-bit dynamic range slow-scan CCDs to fast CMOS cameras. The spatial resolution can be brought substantially beyond the micrometer limit by using a Bragg magnifier. The moderate flux of both beamlines compared to other 3rd generation light sources is compensated by a dedicated scintillator concept. For selected applications, X-ray beam collimation has proven to be a reliable approach to increase the available photon flux density. Absorption contrast, phase contrast, holotomography and refraction-enhanced imaging are used depending on the application. Additionally, at the TopoTomo beamline digital white beam synchrotron topography is performed, using the digital X-ray pixel detectors installed.
Local structures of amorphous and quasicrystalline phases in Zr–Ti–Ni and Zr–Ti–Ni–Cu alloys have been studied by means of x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The amorphous phases show a high degree of icosahedral short-range order. In all investigated systems local order around Cu and Ni atoms was found to be nearly identical pointing to site substitution of Ni by Cu as the reason for an improved glass forming ability when Ni is partly substituted by Cu. The results strengthen an icosahedral cluster based approach for the structure of metallic glasses and indicate the importance of the medium-range order on glass formation.