With increasing consumerism depleting finite resources and producing growing quantities of waste, the need for a shift to sustainable, circular products is urgent. Through ReMade@ARI (REcyclable MAterials Development at Analytical Research Infrastructures), more than 50 European research infrastructures, including MAX IV, have formed a consortium to support advanced materials research.
The value of toxic waste for an inclusive circular economy
What if the toxic metalloid arsenic extracted from water treatment processes could be upcycled for economic use? What if this upcycling could benefit marginalized communities most affected by toxic pollution? The questions today are not what if, but when, thanks to seminal work recently reported in Science Advances on commodifying the critical raw material arsenic from groundwater. A novel chemical method developed with measurements from MAX IV’s Balder beamline lays the path to produce amorphous metallic arsenic As(0), valuable in alloys and clean energy systems such as batteries and high-speed electronics, namely semiconductors.
How to study the digestion of vegan protein in real time
A new study presents a multi-angle approach to investigating the step-by-step breakdown of vegan proteins in the stomach. It is a research area that is becoming increasingly important as we seek new protein sources to reduce climate impact. Protein digestion is crucial for both the absorption of nutrients and the immune response to potential allergens. A gel of pea protein was exposed to artificial gastric fluid, and the researchers used several techniques to study how the gel was broken down into smaller parts.
MAX IV contributing to Swedish Excellence Clusters
Are you preparing a planning grant or working on an application for the 2026 Excellence Clusters call?
Imagine if you move the beam
Think differently, or in some cases, look at the problem from an entirely new angle. An international research group from PETRA III synchrotron in Germany and MAX IV has developed a new method for the scanning lens-less imaging technique known as ptychography. The system is designed for various sample environments, in situ and in operando conditions, and is portable, enabling usage at different beamlines or synchrotrons.
A deeper view of catalysis
Catalytic materials are found across industry and in most production of household chemicals, fuels, and in the cleaning of vehicle exhaust. When trying to understand and optimise a process, all the attention is usually put towards the surface of the catalytic material. A recent study shows, however, that what happens in the layers under the surface may be even more essential.
Unique biomaterial found in a lizard
Researchers have found a biomaterial with surprising features in the skin of a lizard. The material is hard like enamel but is structured differently. Understanding the material on the nanoscale opens up new routes in designing for hard-wearing applications.
Essential closer look at nanosized drug carriers
Researchers have developed a protocol for studying how drug carrying nanoparticles called cubosomes behave in the body. The results show nanoparticle stability and confirm localisation in the cell. The study represents a significant step forward in the development of novel pharmaceuticals.
Research grants for structural biology at MicroMAX
User opportunities for studies of structural biology at the new X-ray crystallography beamline MicroMAX just got an upgrade. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is now offering funding for researchers affiliated with a Danish research institution to apply for grants for academic use of the beamline. The programme is called ‘MicroMAX Collaborative Research Grants.’
Inventive AI and robotic self-driving lab accelerates material discoveries
To find solutions to real-world challenges, researchers often need to do labour-intensive work that requires a time-consuming trial-and-error process. Developing a synthesis method for custom-made materials is one of them. The process can take years and is very hard to replicate. But what if technology could help solve this and accelerate the application of new functional materials? An international collaboration led by Andy Sode Anker from the Technical University of Denmark came to MAX IV and accomplished just that.