Organogels: New cleaning agent for artworks
The restoration of artworks often involves solvents which have toxic properties. Now researchers have succeeded for the first time in creating a non-toxic and sustainable cleaning agent for paintings.
MLZ
Solving the puzzle behind the viscosity jump in the Earth’s lower mantle
Prof. Dr. Tomoo Katsura and his international research team at the Bavarian Research Institute of Experimental Geochemistry and Geophysics, University of Bayreuth, have discovered why rocks in the Earth’s interior suddenly become more viscous at depths of 800 to 1,200 kilometres.
Elusive carbonic acid: it really exists!
The existence of carbonic acid has long been the subject of debate: theoretically real, but practically impossible to detect.
Neutrons expose the insides of an antique pendant
Thanks to the non-destructive examinations using neutrons, researchers identified miniscule bone fragments inside the object, presumably religious relics.
Neutrons help track down mammalian ancestors
A team of German and Argentinian researchers has used neutrons in the FRM II research neutron source at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to identify an animal species that has been extinct for 220 million years. Findings on the new species provide surprising insights into the evolution of mammals.
Analysis of cosmic dust brings scientists one step closer to quantum and magnonic devices
New research published in Science brings us a step closer to magnonic devices and quantum computing. Neutron analysis has revealed the behaviour of magnetic waves in a class of materials, enabling scientists to picture a future where electronic currents no longer cause our devices to heat up.
Pressure and heat: Testing alloys for gas turbines
VDM Metals is a high-performance metal provider. In the HiMat project,1 together with the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), VDM tested its VDM® Alloy 780 using a specially developed testing machine at the Research Neutron Source, Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II).
Neutrons detect clogs in pipelines
Industry and private consumers alike depend on oil and gas pipes that stretch thousands of kilometers underwater. However, it is not uncommon for pipelines to become clogged. With collaborators at the Research Neutron Source FRM II and the consulting company, Science S.A.V.E.D, scientists from TechnipFMC (a company specialising in subsea pipelines) demonstrated that neutrons are an ideal probe to locate blockages in underwater pipes.
Understanding the structure of fuel cell membranes
Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC) are an important technology in the transition to green energy. With the help of neutrons, researchers at MLZ have investigated the complex structure of a core component of the PEMFC – the proton exchange membrane – in greater detail than ever before.
Revolution in imaging with neutrons
An international research team at the Research Neutron Source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a new imaging technology. In the future, this technology could not only improve the resolution of neutron measurements by many times, but could also reduce the radiation dose for medical x-ray imaging.
