cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910141-1
title: Interaction of trehalose and a model peptide

description: We propose to perform a NDIS experiments at the SANDALS diffractometer at T = 300 K on X samples of N-Methylacetamide, NMA, and trehalose at low water content, in the glassy state.  We have already measured on SANDALS the structure of the hydration shell of NMA in pure aqueous solution and with addition of trehalose. These data show that the hydration shell does not sensibly change when trehalose is added to the solution and that trehalose does not directly interact with the other solute and seems to segregate first hydration shell water molecules in the vicinity of NMA. This result may be of great relevance for understanding the biological mechanism adopted by trehalose as a protectant against drought, supporting the so-called "segregation" scenario against the "substitution" one. The results found in liquid solution need to be confirmed in the glassy state obtained at low water conten
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910197-1
title: MEASUREMENT OF STRAIN PROFILES IN THE BODY OF LARGE-SIZED CERAMIC SLABS

description: The experiment wishes to measure the strain profiles across 12 mm thick reference ceramics slabs especially produced to minimize and maximize thermal stress during cooling. The strain profiles determined in different portions of the samples will be used as references to calibrate the fringes effects observed on the same samples by digital holographic speckle-pattern interferometry (DHSPI). It is expected that the neutron data will allow anchoring absolute values of strain to the relative strain observed by the density of the DHSPI interference fringes. If the calibration is effective, it is expected that DHSPI may be proposed as a routine test to detect accumulated strains in ceramic bodies in field/operating conditions.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910224
title: Dynamical short-range magnetic phase separation in gamma-CoV2O6

description: Frustration in magnets could stabilize both order and disorder. Exploring frustrated magnetism is of great importance to understanding the quantum many-body physics and developing the next-generation functional devices. Typically, ground state degeneracy and long-range order (LRO) tend to be mutually exclusive as the former is a character of disorder. However, in some rare cases, magnetic LRO could host a small number of degeneracy. The resulting magnetic ground state, phase separation, is intriguing in frustrated magnetism because it fills the gap between highly degenerate disorder and non-degenerate LRO. Recently, we have reported the existence of magnetic phase separation in gamma-CoV2O6. Here, we propose to use MuSR to unveil its driving mechanism by tracking the emergence and evolution of the dynamical short-range magnetic phase separation above the Neel transition.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910224-1
title: Dynamical short-range magnetic phase separation in gamma-CoV2O6

description: Frustration in magnets could stabilize both order and disorder. Exploring frustrated magnetism is of great importance to understanding the quantum many-body physics and developing the next-generation functional devices. Typically, ground state degeneracy and long-range order (LRO) tend to be mutually exclusive as the former is a character of disorder. However, in some rare cases, magnetic LRO could host a small number of degeneracy. The resulting magnetic ground state, phase separation, is intriguing in frustrated magnetism because it fills the gap between highly degenerate disorder and non-degenerate LRO. Recently, we have reported the existence of magnetic phase separation in gamma-CoV2O6. Here, we propose to use MuSR to unveil its driving mechanism by tracking the emergence and evolution of the dynamical short-range magnetic phase separation above the Neel transition.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910292
title: Evaluation of Residual Strains Produced by Laser Shock Processing for Low Pressure Steam Turbine Blade Applications using Bragg Edge Neutron

description: The use of steam turbines is the primary method of power extraction for most power plants. The corrosion resistant steel blades bear significant centrifugal loads in a wet steam environment making them susceptible to stress corrosion cracking and fatigue. A surface technique known as Laser Shock Peening (LSP) can be used to generate beneficial Compressive Residual Stresses (CRS) at the highly stressed blade root in order to resist crack initiation. Achieving a consistent stress field around a complex component such as a low pressure steam turbine blade, therefore requires significant insight into the geometric effects on LSP processing. Conventional residual stress measurements can be hindered by the geometry and are specific to that location. The full field strain neutron imaging at IMAT offers the ideal technique to reveal the effectiveness of the LSP process around complex geometries.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910292-1
title: Evaluation of Residual Strains Produced by Laser Shock Processing for Low Pressure Steam Turbine Blade Applications using Bragg Edge Neutron

description: The use of steam turbines is the primary method of power extraction for most power plants. The corrosion resistant steel blades bear significant centrifugal loads in a wet steam environment making them susceptible to stress corrosion cracking and fatigue. A surface technique known as Laser Shock Peening (LSP) can be used to generate beneficial Compressive Residual Stresses (CRS) at the highly stressed blade root in order to resist crack initiation. Achieving a consistent stress field around a complex component such as a low pressure steam turbine blade, therefore requires significant insight into the geometric effects on LSP processing. Conventional residual stress measurements can be hindered by the geometry and are specific to that location. The full field strain neutron imaging at IMAT offers the ideal technique to reveal the effectiveness of the LSP process around complex geometries.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910429
title: Use of Negative Muons for elementary characterization of metallic archaeological finds

description: The idea behind the proposed experiment is to use muon negatives spectroscopy as a non-invasive and non-destructive probe for quantitative bulk analysis to be used in the archaeometric field for elemental characterization of artifacts and ancient objects. This project aims to perform the in-depth study with muons beam of metallic artifacts from the late Bronze-age found in different area of the Italy (Sardinia, Tuscany, Lazio and Campania regions. In particular the goal should be to achieve a series of measurements on homogeneous type objects from three different areas of the Italian peninsula all affected by contact with the Sardinian population.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910429-1
title: Use of Negative Muons for elementary characterization of metallic archaeological finds

description: The idea behind the proposed experiment is to use muon negatives spectroscopy as a non-invasive and non-destructive probe for quantitative bulk analysis to be used in the archaeometric field for elemental characterization of artifacts and ancient objects. This project aims to perform the in-depth study with muons beam of metallic artifacts from the late Bronze-age found in different area of the Italy (Sardinia, Tuscany, Lazio and Campania regions. In particular the goal should be to achieve a series of measurements on homogeneous type objects from three different areas of the Italian peninsula all affected by contact with the Sardinian population.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910543
title: Characterizing neutral and diamagnetic Mu in beta-Ga2O3

description: We propose a series of LF-MuSR measurements to complete a study on the neutral and diamagnetic muonium (Mu) states in single-crystal beta-Ga2O3 where Mu is being used as an experimentally accessible analogue to the isolated hydrogen impurity. Previous work by our collaboration on beta-Ga2O3 used ZF measurements to characterize some of the Mu+ behaviour [1,2] and preliminarily identified two states that are likely to be shallow Mu0 forming below ~30 K and ~100 K. TF and RF measurements were attempted in order to further characterise these Mu0 states and were only marginally successful [3]. The TF measurements showed the Mu0 states are not promptly formed. The later RF measurements confirmed the Mu0 assignments and ionisation energies initially determined from ZF; however, not enough data were collected for a full spectroscopic characterisation of these Mu0 centres.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820305-5
title: Lattice dynamics in the giant barocaloric Ammonium Sulfate

description: Given the challenges in providing efficient and non-harmful refrigeration, it is timely to study barocaloric systems, which offer cooling power via the application of pressure, something which is far more trivial to do than applying a magnetic field as required for magnetocalorics. The majority of caloric materials investigated so far have been based on expensive and relatively scarce rare-earths metals. Ammonium sulfate, by contrast, is widely and cheaply commercially available. It has been demonstrated that small changes in hydrostatic pressure drive giant inverse barocaloric effects near the ferroelectric phase transition. It is therefore our aim to investigate the phonon dispersion in this material near the transition to gain insight into the origin of the barocaloric effect. Successful measurements would be extended to applying hydrostatic pressure in the future.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910087
title: Self-assembly of methyl ester sulfonate(MES)  and sulfobetaine surfactant mixtures

description: The MES is representative of a promising group of anionic surfactants which have the potential for improved performance and biocompatibility / biosustainability, and their surface and self assembly properties have now been extensively studied. In most applications they will be used as mixtures with non-ionic or zwitterionic surfactants. Surface tension, light scattering and viscosity measurements indicate a strong synergy between MES and sulfobetaine surfactants, resulting in enhanced viscosity and changes in micelle structure, and the application of neutron scattering techniques is now essential in order to understand these potentially important phenomena. We request beam time on SANS2D to investigate the solution structure of MES / sulfobetaine mixtures in order to determine the variation in micelle composition and structure with solution concentration and composition.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910087-1
title: Self-assembly of methyl ester sulfonate(MES)  and sulfobetaine surfactant mixtures

description: The MES is representative of a promising group of anionic surfactants which have the potential for improved performance and biocompatibility / biosustainability, and their surface and self assembly properties have now been extensively studied. In most applications they will be used as mixtures with non-ionic or zwitterionic surfactants. Surface tension, light scattering and viscosity measurements indicate a strong synergy between MES and sulfobetaine surfactants, resulting in enhanced viscosity and changes in micelle structure, and the application of neutron scattering techniques is now essential in order to understand these potentially important phenomena. We request beam time on SANS2D to investigate the solution structure of MES / sulfobetaine mixtures in order to determine the variation in micelle composition and structure with solution concentration and composition.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910178
title: Anhydrobiosis at the atomic scale: protein folding at low water content

description: Anhydrobiosis, the possibility of life in almost no water, is a puzzling phenomena common to a wide class of organisms, ranging from plant seeds to crustacean cysts, that can survive to an almost complete removal of intracellular water and restore their metabolic activities when water is newly available. Central to anhydrobiosis is the ability to maintain a functional protein configuration in the dry state. A detailed description on how this is achieved is still lacking, but there is evidence that carbohydrates, such as trehalose, protect and stabilize protein structure. One of the first steps in protein folding, eventually leading to the formation of a functional globular protein, is the formation of a beta-turn by a peptide chain. Aim of this proposal is to investigate the formation of this beta-turn in presence of trehalose, first in solution and then at very low water content.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910178-1
title: Anhydrobiosis at the atomic scale: protein folding at low water content

description: Anhydrobiosis, the possibility of life in almost no water, is a puzzling phenomena common to a wide class of organisms, ranging from plant seeds to crustacean cysts, that can survive to an almost complete removal of intracellular water and restore their metabolic activities when water is newly available. Central to anhydrobiosis is the ability to maintain a functional protein configuration in the dry state. A detailed description on how this is achieved is still lacking, but there is evidence that carbohydrates, such as trehalose, protect and stabilize protein structure. One of the first steps in protein folding, eventually leading to the formation of a functional globular protein, is the formation of a beta-turn by a peptide chain. Aim of this proposal is to investigate the formation of this beta-turn in presence of trehalose, first in solution and then at very low water content.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910331
title: Evolution of crack network and fluid conductance in shale under triaxial stress state

description: There has been a considerable debate over the exploitation of shale gas in the UK. The primary concern is the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing, specifically in addressing the structural integrity of shale layer and the overlying formation. Shale, like any other geological material has a complex composition and there is need to further understand the mechanics of deformation and damage (its mechanical behaviour).  Current computations for mechanical behaviour of shale is based on the assumption that it is homogenous, which is not the case. This limitation is due to inability to observe microscopic mechanisms or micromechanics of shale. The current project aims to address this through acquisition of direct images of deformation and damage in shale by observing the crack/fracture initiation and propagation under load as well as subsequent flow of water, air and noble gases.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910331-1
title: Evolution of crack network and fluid conductance in shale under triaxial stress state

description: There has been a considerable debate over the exploitation of shale gas in the UK. The primary concern is the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing, specifically in addressing the structural integrity of shale layer and the overlying formation. Shale, like any other geological material has a complex composition and there is need to further understand the mechanics of deformation and damage (its mechanical behaviour).  Current computations for mechanical behaviour of shale is based on the assumption that it is homogenous, which is not the case. This limitation is due to inability to observe microscopic mechanisms or micromechanics of shale. The current project aims to address this through acquisition of direct images of deformation and damage in shale by observing the crack/fracture initiation and propagation under load as well as subsequent flow of water, air and noble gases.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910543-1
title: Characterizing neutral and diamagnetic Mu in beta-Ga2O3

description: We propose a series of LF-MuSR measurements to complete a study on the neutral and diamagnetic muonium (Mu) states in single-crystal beta-Ga2O3 where Mu is being used as an experimentally accessible analogue to the isolated hydrogen impurity. Previous work by our collaboration on beta-Ga2O3 used ZF measurements to characterize some of the Mu+ behaviour [1,2] and preliminarily identified two states that are likely to be shallow Mu0 forming below ~30 K and ~100 K. TF and RF measurements were attempted in order to further characterise these Mu0 states and were only marginally successful [3]. The TF measurements showed the Mu0 states are not promptly formed. The later RF measurements confirmed the Mu0 assignments and ionisation energies initially determined from ZF; however, not enough data were collected for a full spectroscopic characterisation of these Mu0 centres.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910257
title: Influence of the electric dipole moment of gas molecules on the gate-opening phenomenon in ZIF-8.

description: The aim of this proposal is to study the condensation transitions of polar gas molecules in nanoporous flexible materials by means of wide Q-range neutron diffraction. An in-situ gas adsorption/desorption experiment on the zeolitic imidazole framework ZIF-8 will allow us to monitor the behaviour of the adsorbate upon condensation within the pores during the gate opening structural transition. This neutron study complements our previous experiment with non-polar gases in which it was found that N2, O2 and CO2 have a very distinctive arrangement of the molecules inside the pore upon adsorption. With this combined study we expect to provide improved understanding of the microscopic details of the host-guest interactions for ZIF materials that will be very valuable for a molecular understanding of the framework flexibility and the gate opening phenomena.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910257-1
title: Influence of the electric dipole moment of gas molecules on the gate-opening phenomenon in ZIF-8.

description: The aim of this proposal is to study the condensation transitions of polar gas molecules in nanoporous flexible materials by means of wide Q-range neutron diffraction. An in-situ gas adsorption/desorption experiment on the zeolitic imidazole framework ZIF-8 will allow us to monitor the behaviour of the adsorbate upon condensation within the pores during the gate opening structural transition. This neutron study complements our previous experiment with non-polar gases in which it was found that N2, O2 and CO2 have a very distinctive arrangement of the molecules inside the pore upon adsorption. With this combined study we expect to provide improved understanding of the microscopic details of the host-guest interactions for ZIF materials that will be very valuable for a molecular understanding of the framework flexibility and the gate opening phenomena.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910402
title: Dynamics of Disorder in Relaxor-like Ferroelectric AB(HCO2)3 Frameworks

description: Relaxor ferroelectics are of significant interest for use as piezoelectric actuators in sensing applications and for high precision mechanical stages. Relaxors are traditionally associated with disorder induced by a complex mixture of cations in complex oxides. Recently framework materials built from inorganic and organic building blocks have been shown to exhibit relaxor-like properties without the requirement for such complex doping, a unique avenue to such behaviour. We propose to study two of these relaxor-like ferroelectrics, NH4Mn(HCO2)3 and NH4Zn(HCO2)3, using quasielastic neutron scattering to establish the dynamics of the disorder responsible for their physical properties and how this varies with the different relaxor properties of these materials and between their polar and non-polar phases. This will be complimented by NMR and diffraction measurements currently underway.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910402-1
title: Dynamics of Disorder in Relaxor-like Ferroelectric AB(HCO2)3 Frameworks

description: Relaxor ferroelectics are of significant interest for use as piezoelectric actuators in sensing applications and for high precision mechanical stages. Relaxors are traditionally associated with disorder induced by a complex mixture of cations in complex oxides. Recently framework materials built from inorganic and organic building blocks have been shown to exhibit relaxor-like properties without the requirement for such complex doping, a unique avenue to such behaviour. We propose to study two of these relaxor-like ferroelectrics, NH4Mn(HCO2)3 and NH4Zn(HCO2)3, using quasielastic neutron scattering to establish the dynamics of the disorder responsible for their physical properties and how this varies with the different relaxor properties of these materials and between their polar and non-polar phases. This will be complimented by NMR and diffraction measurements currently underway.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910443
title: Quantum critical E/T scaling of the dynamic susceptibility in Sr3Ru2O7

description: Spin fluctuations of materials close to a quantum critical point (QCP) exhibit anomalous behaviors. Sr3Ru2O7 has been shown to exhibit field-induced spin density wave (SDW) order for fields B = 7.95 T with wavevector q1 =(0.23,0,0). We have performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements at QCP with B = 7.95 T and found that the low-energy spin excitations near q1are strongly T-dependent. Here, we propose to complete our characterization of the T-dependence of the spin excitations. The additional data obtained will allow comparison with theories of quantum critical scaling.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910443-1
title: Quantum critical E/T scaling of the dynamic susceptibility in Sr3Ru2O7

description: Spin fluctuations of materials close to a quantum critical point (QCP) exhibit anomalous behaviors. Sr3Ru2O7 has been shown to exhibit field-induced spin density wave (SDW) order for fields B = 7.95 T with wavevector q1 =(0.23,0,0). We have performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements at QCP with B = 7.95 T and found that the low-energy spin excitations near q1are strongly T-dependent. Here, we propose to complete our characterization of the T-dependence of the spin excitations. The additional data obtained will allow comparison with theories of quantum critical scaling.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910450
title: Formation of hard carbon from carbonized biowaste and in situ neutron study

description: hard carbon are promising anodes for sodium ion batteries, due to their high capacity and green production from biowaste. However, they require treatment at very high temperatures above 1000 C significantly increasing the carbon footprint of the material. Here we propose to measure a hydrothermal carbon(HTC) derived from glucose as a model system for biowaste. Using the RISO furnace available at ISIS we can measure in situ the transformation of HTC to hard carbon during heating from 100 C to 1900 C. Two samples will be measured to reveal the process and better understand how the annealing temperature can be decreased.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910450-1
title: Formation of hard carbon from carbonized biowaste and in situ neutron study

description: hard carbon are promising anodes for sodium ion batteries, due to their high capacity and green production from biowaste. However, they require treatment at very high temperatures above 1000 C significantly increasing the carbon footprint of the material. Here we propose to measure a hydrothermal carbon(HTC) derived from glucose as a model system for biowaste. Using the RISO furnace available at ISIS we can measure in situ the transformation of HTC to hard carbon during heating from 100 C to 1900 C. Two samples will be measured to reveal the process and better understand how the annealing temperature can be decreased.