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German Research Team Completes First Phase Analysis of Chernobyl "Hot Particles": Nuclear Fuel Crystal Structure Still Exhibits Unexpectedly High Chemical Stability After 40 Years

Nearly 40 years after the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, a research team from Leibniz University Hannover and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) in Germany has completed the world's first synchrotron radiation X-ray-based precision crystal phase analysis of 6 micron-sized highly radioactive fragments (commonly known in the industry as Hot Particles) ejected from the destroyed reactor. The related breakthrough research findings have been officially published in the top-tier journal in environmental and radioecology, the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

2026-10-07

Major Scientific Facility Enables Breakthrough in New Energy Materials: IHEP Leverages Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility to Reveal High-Efficiency Crystallization Mechanism of Perovskite, Sub-module Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency Reaches 22.9%

Recently, the research team at the Multidisciplinary Research Center of the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made important progress in the study of the microscopic mechanisms of perovskite solar cell materials. The research team innovatively introduced Prussian Blue (PB) nanoframes with a high degree of lattice matching to perovskite, and leveraged a national major scientific and technological infrastructure——the Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF)——to conduct multi-dimensional in-situ synchrotron radiation characterization. From the two perspectives of transient crystallization kinetics evolution and microscopic local coordination structure, they systematically elucidated for the first time the physicochemical mechanism by which Prussian Blue regulates perovskite nucleation and crystallization and suppresses ion migration. Large-area perovskite photovoltaic modules fabricated via wet...

2026-09-30

Brookhaven National Laboratory Develops Integrated X-ray Imaging Tool for Nuclear Materials Research

A research team at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory has recently developed and built a new experimental apparatus that integrates four X-ray computed tomography techniques into a single instrument, enabling multiscale, comprehensive studies of next-generation nuclear reactor materials. The related technical achievements and capability demonstration have been published in the Journal of Synchrotron Radiation. The apparatus is located at the X-ray Powder Diffraction (XPD) beamline of the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) and was commissioned jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Nuclear Science User Facilities program, Brookhaven National Laboratory's Nuclear Science and Security Department, and NSLS-II. Researchers said that next...

2026-09-12

Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Considers Building Enterprise-Funded Experimental Stations

The Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) synchrotron project in Russia is considering the construction of enterprise-funded experimental stations. Andrei Bukhtiyarov, Deputy Director of the SKIF Shared Use Center, stated that this idea is expected to advance after the first-phase experimental stations are put into operation and their operational capabilities are verified. According to reports, construction of the SKIF synchrotron was completed in June 2026. Once the facility becomes operational, it will help researchers obtain high-precision data on the internal structure and behavior of materials. The first phase of the SKIF project, located near Novosibirsk, plans a total of 7 experimental stations, all scheduled to become operational by August 2027, when research teams can begin conducting relevant experiments. Bukhtiyarov...

2026-09-09

German BESSY II 3D Magnetic Field Experiments Reveal Mechanism of Weak Magnetic Field Control over Magnetic Textures

A team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) in Germany has made progress in controlling magnetic textures in the magnetic material (Fe0.63Ni0.3Pd0.07)3P (abbreviated as FNPP) through 3D magnetic field experiments conducted at the BESSY II synchrotron facility. The research shows that a very small external in-plane magnetic field is sufficient to alter the magnetic stripe structure in this material, providing new experimental evidence for the development of functional magnetic materials for spintronics. FNPP is a magnetic material that exhibits complex magnetic structures at room temperature, making it a focus of spintronics research. Spintronics is considered promising for lower-energy data processing and novel data storage applications. However, to achieve practical applications, the key lies in...

2026-09-08

BESSY II reveals early-stage copper oxidation: providing evidence for catalyst development and corrosion research on nuclear waste final disposal containers

Germany's BESSY II synchrotron facility has recently provided new experimental insights into the early-stage oxidation process of copper surfaces. The study shows that before the formation of pure copper oxides, copper and oxygen atoms first form complex surface superstructures, such as "29"CuₓO. The chemical state of such structures has long been debated, and the findings are of reference value for catalyst research as well as for corrosion protection studies of copper containers used for radioactive waste final disposal. Before the formation of pure copper oxide, complex superstructures composed of copper and oxygen atoms emerge—such as "29"CuxO. HZB In everyday environments, copper surfaces gradually lose their red metallic luster and form a greenish oxide layer. This layer structure can slow further corrosion over an extended period. Regarding the initial stages of this process, the core question researchers focus on is: to what extent are copper atoms actually oxidized once oxygen enters the copper surface. Since conventional spectroscopic methods struggle to clearly distinguish between pure copper and partially oxidized surfaces, such oxidation states have previously been difficult to determine directly.

2026-09-07

Russia's EVRAZ Plans to Develop High-Performance Railway Rails Using SKIF Synchrotron Radiation Platform

Russian railway infrastructure component manufacturer EVRAZ PJSC plans to cooperate with the SKIF Collective Use Center to develop new alloys and high-performance rails using synchrotron radiation experimental capabilities, aiming to improve the mechanical properties and operational reliability of rails. At a roundtable discussion on "Development of New Structural and Tool Materials and Mechanical Engineering Technologies Using Synchrotron Radiation" held during the Technoprom 2026 forum, participating experts discussed the application prospects of the SKIF Collective Use Center in the development of high-quality rolled metal products. EVRAZ stated that Russia's railway operating environment is complex, with long line distances, numerous mountain routes, prominent low-temperature conditions, coupled with growing freight volumes, placing higher demands on steel materials...

2026-09-07

South Korean research team reveals that water storage capacity of cold subducting slabs has been underestimated using synchrotron radiation sources

A research team led by Professor Yongjae Lee of the Department of Earth System Sciences at Yonsei University in South Korea has recently found that in cold, rapidly descending tectonic subduction zones, crustal rocks may transport up to 1 trillion kilograms of water to the mantle each year—approximately twice the previous estimate. The findings have been published in Nature Communications. Subduction zones are regions where Earth's tectonic plates converge and one plate descends beneath another, often accompanied by volcanic and seismic activity. For a long time, the academic community has generally believed that serpentinite, a water-bearing rock, gradually dehydrates as it descends with the plate due to increasing pressure and temperature, and the released water further promotes melting of the overlying plate and is associated with the formation of volcanic arc chains.

2026-09-07

Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility to Resume Operations in Mid-September

The Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF) User Office issued a notice on September 2 stating that the facility will conclude its summer maintenance and resume operations in mid-September 2026. The notice reminds users with experimental needs to promptly log in to the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure Sharing Service Platform, or submit project proposals and beamtime reservation requests through the BSRF User Service System. The BSRF accepts project proposals and beamtime reservation requests year-round, and the specific application procedures can be found in the relevant attachments. Users encountering issues during the application or reservation process may contact the BSRF User Office or the corresponding beamline station contacts. Contact information for each beamline station has been provided along with the notice...

2026-09-03

Russia's SKIF and China's HEPS Explore Building Joint Synchrotron Radiation Experimental Station

The Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) synchrotron radiation facility in Russia is considering closer cooperation with China's High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), including exploring the construction of a joint experimental station. Yevgeny Levichev, Director of the SKIF Collective Use Center, stated that the Russian side plans to sign cooperation agreements with three synchrotron radiation facilities in China by the end of this year, including the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the Beijing High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), and a synchrotron radiation facility in Hefei. Among these, Russia is particularly interested in advancing joint projects with HEPS, potentially even establishing a joint experimental station. Levichev noted that the Russian and Chinese synchrotron radiation facilities are complementary in terms of energy range, which will facilitate joint experiments by researchers and improve the utilization efficiency of large-scale scientific facilities.

2026-09-02

Russian Academician Says SKIF Synchrotron Light Source Will Not Produce Radionuclides, Safe and Controllable in Operation

Yevgeny Levichev, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and director of the Collective Use Center of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF), recently stated that synchrotron light sources, including SKIF located near Novosibirsk, are electrophysical equipment with safe and controllable operation that poses no threat to personnel even in the event of a malfunction. Levichev said that unlike facilities such as nuclear power plants, synchrotron light sources do not generate isotopes or radionuclides in their systems. In the event of an anomaly, the beam is reset, and the facility's risk level is close to that of ordinary electrical equipment. According to reports, construction of the SKIF synchrotron was completed in June 2026, with an inauguration ceremony held in August. Once the facility is operational...

2026-09-01

Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Announces Criteria for Selecting Future Research Teams

On August 31, Andrei Bukhtiyarov, Deputy Director of the Shared Use Center of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF) synchrotron, stated that the scientific innovation of research proposals will be one of the key criteria when selecting research teams for future experiments at SKIF. According to reports, the selection process will also focus on the clarity of research ideas and the feasibility of experimental plans. Since some experiments may not be feasible under existing or planned experimental station conditions, applications will first undergo technical review to confirm whether the experiments can be conducted within the facility's capabilities. The SKIF Shared Use Center has established a Scientific Committee to review applications submitted by research teams. The Center plans to...

2026-09-01

First experiments at Russia's SKIF microfocus station to target "invisible" gold deposits and extraterrestrial particle research

On August 19, 2026, the microfocus station, one of the first-stage experimental stations of the Russian SKIF Collective Use Center, announced its initial experimental directions. The station will utilize synchrotron radiation-based analytical techniques to study the elemental composition and structural characteristics of objects, serving fields such as geology, geophysics, microelectronics, and materials science. At the SKIF opening ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected the microfocus station. According to the presentation, the station's first experiments will focus on the exploration and extraction of hard-to-recover gold, platinum, rare earth elements, and oil reserves. Ore sample research is a critical step in the development of new mineral deposits. By determining the elemental composition of rocks, researchers can...

2026-08-31

Japan's PF Launches Quantum Multi-Beam Experiments, Achieving Simultaneous Hard and Soft X-ray Measurements

The Photon Factory, a synchrotron radiation facility at the Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) in Japan, has recently launched collaborative experiments on the development and research multi-purpose beamlines BL-11A and BL-11B, achieving simultaneous irradiation of the same sample with hard and soft X-rays at the same position. The research results will be published in the international academic journal *Review of Scientific Instruments*. The Photon Factory uses electrons moving at near-light speed to generate high-brightness X-rays, known as synchrotron radiation, for studying material structures and properties. Among these, hard X-rays are better suited for observing the internal structure of materials, while soft X-rays are ideal for analyzing material surfaces and electronic states. Previously, at synchrotron radiation facilities, the two types of X-rays typically had to...

2026-08-31

China's First Enterprise-Level Synchrotron Radiation Technology Application Research Platform Inaugurated in Shanghai

The Sinopec Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility Energy and Chemical Science Laboratory, invested by Sinopec and jointly built with the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and based on the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) major scientific infrastructure, was recently inaugurated in Shanghai Zhangjiang Science City. This laboratory is the first enterprise-level synchrotron radiation technology application research platform in China. According to reports, the laboratory consists of three beamline stations and auxiliary laboratories, and will provide technical support and services for basic scientific research conducted by Sinopec and public users, with a focus on oil and gas exploration and development, petroleum refining and chemical engineering, and new energy and new materials. Once the platform is completed, it will help enhance the enterprise's capabilities in forward-looking and fundamental research, and provide scientific research support for cultivating new quality productive forces in China's energy and chemical industry.

2026-08-29