Final call for recyclable materials research through ReMade@ARI

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. 

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.