Imagine this future. Vehicles and machinery primarily powered by renewable organic matter, a resource far better for the planet’s health than today’s predominate fossil fuels. What factors stand in the way for a global power transition to competitive, industrial-scale biomass conversion? A study in Nature Communications reveals one key piece of the puzzle using bacterial enzymes. At MAX IV’s BioMAX beamline, an international team of scientists has determined important rate-limiting steps of lignocellulose breakdown, a major hurdle in efficient biomass processing. The discovery holds promise for a significant reduction in manufacturing costs and faster adoption of new biomass-derived fuels to market.
Student engagement at MAX IV with MATRAC School
Forty-five university students recently got an exciting opportunity to visit MAX IV and PETRA III, attend lectures, and explore beamline technologies hands-on through the MATRAC I School. The educational programme, held in March this year, provides knowledge on the application of neutron and X-ray radiation in engineering materials science.
Fragment-based research on potent, non-covalent inflammatory drugs goes forward
Researchers’ collaborative efforts from Denmark and Germany used BioMAX beamline to discover selective, non-covalent inhibitors of Keap1– a common target against oxidative stress and inflammation. The result is a potent antithesis of the currently available drugs acting as covalent inhibitors.
New potential drug for type 2 diabetes treatment explored at MAX IV
The drug discovery company Implexion Pharma and researchers from Lund University have explored new potential drug candidates for type 2 diabetes using X-ray crystallography research techniques at MAX IV.
Reaction undercover: boosting the potency of catalysts
To sever society’s tether from fossil fuels, the development of more efficient catalysts for renewable energy production is a recognized, key step. On surfaces covered by 2D materials, a more detailed picture of the reaction process will greatly enhance our understanding, according to a recent study in ACS Catalysis. Researchers in Sweden have observed the effects of hydrogen and other gas combinations on 2D material graphene during undercover reactions using ambient-pressure XPS at MAX IV’s HIPPIE beamline.
MAX IV research contributes to the development of new cancer drugs
In the battle against cancer, scientists from the drug discovery company Sprint Bioscience and researchers from MAX IV have taken important steps together toward developing new and more efficient cancer drugs with the help of fragment screening by X-ray crystallography.
Tetra Pak commences first-of-its-kind sustainability research at MAX IV
The newest research station at MAX IV, ForMAX, has hosted its first industry experiment: A ground-breaking study on fibre-based sustainable food packaging, performed by Tetra Pak in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology.
Protection for large intestine and migraine medication – news from MAX IV users
Gel baserad på matavfall kan skydda tjocktarmen I global livsmedelsproduktion går en tredjedel av den råvara som används till spillo varje år. Forskare vid KTH har funnit ett nytt användningsområde för den del av maten som annars skulle gå förlorad. Uppfinningen är en gel baserad på majsfibrer som bland annat skulle kunna ingå i mat
Global tool company studies wear behaviour of TiAlN coating using X-rays
Metal cutting tool company Seco Tools and researchers from Linköping University have studied structural changes in TiAlN coatings on tools in atomic detail at the MAX IV beamline Balder. The results will guide the company’s development of more efficient metal-cutting tools.
A toothy temporal map of Arctic climate change
In the vast, remoteness of the Arctic, few have the opportunity to gather data on the environmental conditions over time or decipher the long-term effects of climate change. What is required? A considerable period to observe, a nearly autonomous method or actor for collection, a robust character to withstand the harsh surroundings. Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark are tackling this issue through an interdisciplinary NordForsk project. At DanMAX beamline, the group will analyse a narwhal tusk to determine its chemical composition and biomineralization, both important potential markers of the changing environment.