cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1810670
title: Dirac Nodal Line Magnons in a Stacked Honeycomb Magnet

description: On the basis of exchange couplings obtained from early inelastic neutron measurements, we conjecture that the stacked honeycomb magnet FeTiO3 contains Dirac nodal lines in the magnon band structure. Here we propose the first measurement of such features in a magnetic material which have analogues in electronic band structures and which are the precursors of various topological states including Weyl points and Chern bands
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820028
title: Neutron diffraction study of some Mn-Ni-Ge based magnetic equiatomic alloys

description: Magnetic equiatomic alloys (MEAs) of the general formula MM'X (M, M' = transition metals, X = Si, Ge, Sn) undergo magnetostructural transition of martensitic type on cooling from high temperature. Recently, these alloys are identified as new class of shape memory alloy and attracted considerable attention due to their rewarding magneto-functional properties like large magnetocaloric effect, exchange bias effect, magnetoresistance and observation of spin-glass like ground state. In this proposal, we would like to perform powder neutron diffraction on two suitable alloys belong to MEA family of nominal compositions Mn0.85Fe0.15NiGe, and MnNi0.75Fe0.25Ge to unveil the nature of the magnetic ground state and how it is related to the martensitic type structural transition.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820066
title: MUSR investigations of a new spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnet Cu4(OH)6FCl

description: Recently, barlowite Cu4(OH)6FBr have been attracting much attention as a new kagome system with a Z2 topological order, which may yield spin liquid state at relative high temperature. By using transport, NMR, neutron scattering and µSR, we have recently studied the magnetic ground state of Cu4(OH)6FBr compound, and found an antiferromagnetic transition  at T ~ 15 K. The substitution of Cu by non-magnetic Zn in pushes the system to a possible quantum-spin-liqui state with spin-1/2 spinon excitations. Comparing to the barlowite, the isostructural compound Cu4(OH)6FCl,  also exhibits a weak short-ranged ferromagnetism below 15 K. To compare with our previous µSR results on Cu4-xZnx(OH)6FBr measured at MUSR and EMU spectrometers [RB1720482] , here we further propose to carry out Zero-field and long  longitudinal field (LF) µSR measurements on Cu4(OH)6FCl polycrystalline sample down to 50 mK.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820091
title: In-situ characterisation of mixed steel powders during simulated powder processing for creating functionally graded components

description: It is proposed that the lattice parameter change at high temperature is measured for a mix of 316L and SA508 grade 3 steel powders, by means of neutron diffraction in High Resolution Powder Diffractometer (HRPD). The change in lattice parameter occurs as a result of the diffusion of substitutional elements from 316L to SA508. The temperature and dwell time of the experiment are selected in order to simulate the conditions present during the Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) manufacturing process, with the aim of predicting the time required for homogenisation of the microstructure.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820230
title: Fractionalized Spin Excitation in Ce2Zr2O7 Pyrochlore

description: In recent years, there has been a great interest in quantum spin liquid (QSL). The QSL state is characterized by no conventional order parameter associated with a broken symmetry. It can emerge in insulators containing localized spin degrees of freedom. In three dimensional lattice, QSL state is expected in pyrochlore lattice. Ce2Sn2O7 was proposed as the first Ce-based QSL candidate, in which no magnetic order was observed down to 0.02K. However, the single crystals are not available, thus another feature of QSL - fractionalized excitation - cannot be tested in this system. We are able to synthesize single crystals of Ce2Zr2O7. It is also based on Ce3+ and has very similar behavior as Ce2Sn2O7. Thus, it is a perfect substitution of Ce2Sn2O7 to study QSL state.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820277
title: The fate of boron and calcium in the destabilized reactive hydride composite Ca(BH4)2-Mg2NiH4

description: The Ca(BH4)2-Mg2NiH4 composite system is the first reported that has an effective boron transfer between the compounds in the mixture, which makes it ideally suited for a reversible hydrogen storage system.Using the Kalpha/Kbeta ratio from muonic X-rays emitted by boron, that is sensitive to the local environment, we would like to identify which phases are present in the system upon desorption of hydrogen and when H2-absorption triggers the return of boron in the native Ca(BH4)2 framework.To obtain this achievement, we will use high-resolution measurements of X-ray emission from boron and such results are expected to have a pioneering nature in making Muonic X-ray technique a local probe comparable to X-ray emission spectroscopy.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820392
title: Neutron Tomography of sheldonian head cores

description: 13 carved busts have ringed the perimeter of the Sheldonian Theatre since 1669.  Twice the Heads have been replaced when deteriorated beyond recognition. The second generation were damaged by the polluted atmosphere of coal-fuelled Victorian Oxford and these effects were exacerbated by a choice to carve in Milton limestone. Before they were replaced, the Ministry of Public Building and Works purportedly undertook conservation trials on three Heads. Due to poor record-keeping, it is unclear which of the three Heads, held by Worcester College, Oxford, used in the strengthening trials were treated in which manners. We aim to measure the internal morphology and approximate composition of a series of samples taken from the 3 heads to quantitatively characterize and contrast the level of weathering and to determine which of the heads was treated with which conservation method.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1820419
title: The high pressure structures of ammonium fluoride

description: Ammonium fluoride is an ionic H-bonded analogue of ice. Its behaviour is thus of interest as a comparator for ice. This proposal is for beamtime to make the first neutron study of phase III of this material.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1900051
title: Unconventional spin-Hall effect in non-collinear antiferromagnetic Mn3GaN thin films

description: Antiferromagnets with triangular spin arrangements attract attention due to the presence of non-trivial spin dependent phenomena. We have grown high quality antiferromagnetic Mn3GaN epitaxial thin films with an anti-perovskite crystalline structure, in which we have observed an unconventional spin-Hall effect. Our theory calculations indicate that such effects depend critically on the type of 120 degree spin configuration, however, the magnetic structure for thin film Mn3GaN is unknown. Our preliminary experiment on WISH confirmed the existence of a 120 degree magnetic structure, but we were unable to determine the specific magnetic symmetry due to the limited beam time and small sample size. Here, we propose more neutron diffraction experiments on WISH to distinguish between all possible magnetic structures. This data would fill the gap between our theory and experiment.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1900109
title: Commissioning of electrochemical cell for neutron scattering: In-situ study of Li vs mesoporus carbon batteries.

description: There is an urgent need for to provide energy storage solutions in order for the world to switch form it's reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy. This will allow us to store energy to provide energy at times when there is no wind to turn a wind turbine or no sun to illuminate a solar cell.Lithium-ion batteries provides an electrochemical solution to energy storage which, due to the high energy density is popular in portable applications such as in mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles. The electrochemical cell to be commissioned in this proposal will allow for the study of many energy materials operando. In this experiment we have chosen to study a lithium ion battery. The range of lengthscales available using our electrochemical cell in combination with NIMROD will allow for us to elucidate the much speculated upon mechanisms of charge storage in the cell.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910123
title: Use of negative muons as elemental depth scanning analytical method for metal composite materials: an application to archaeometallurgy

description: We intend to perform a set of measurements on composite metal artifacts in order to test the capability of the negative muons elemental analysis method to identify the alloy guest elements and perform depth profiling. To do that we intend to test several different artifacts (historical or replicas) related to historical metallurgy, composed by different alloys of various thicknesses and mechanically or chemically bond together.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910285
title: Self assembly of thermoresponsive gels

description: Thermoresponsive gels are widely used for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. They consist of a thermoresponsive polymer that self-assembles in a 3D network when increasing the temperature above a critical temperature. We have recently designed and synthesised a series of novel triblock amphiphilic thermoresponsive polymers that hold great promise as biocompatible gels for biomedical applications. Here, we propose to use rheo-SANS to simultaneously investigate  the self-assembly and the macroscopic rheological behaviour of such polymers across a range of different temperatures and concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first rheo-SANS study on methacrylate-based ABC triblock copolymers. Its findings will feed into several projects of the PI's and the co-I's groups, providing essential insights for the design of a new class of thermoresponsive gels.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910537
title: Novel dual purpose antimicrobials and co-formulates to regenerate currently redundant antimicrobials

description: The increased prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria is the most significant challenge facing the human-health today in both developed and developing worlds. It's estimated that by the year 2050 antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections will be responsible for more deaths each year than cancer. The identification of novel antimicrobials is therefore a major priority. The proposers are currently investigating Supramolecular Self-associating Amphiphiles (SSAs) as a novel class of antimicrobial and co-formulate which have the potential to achieve these global objectives (Patent Application No. PCT/EP2018/069568). Within the scope of this proposal we wish to investigate the interaction of one such candidate SSA with a number of model membrane to elucidate the interaction mechanism providing invaluable information as to their mode of action to help optimise future synthetic design.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910545
title: Magnetic order in Er2Si2O7

description: We propose to use neutron diffraction to establish the magnetic structure of D-type of Er2Si2O7 in zero field first with a view of extending the measurements to an applied field at a later stage. The compound is characterised by the highly unusual and largely unexplained behaviour in an applied field, where magnetisation plateaus and metastable transitions are observed.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910573
title: Alloy Profiling of Iron Age Gold Coins Using Negative Muons

description: Research into the early development of gold coinage in England in the late Iron Age period includes enquiries into the source of the gold used. A small hoard of gold staters issued by a king Dubnovellaunos from the Trinovantes tribe, found near Heybridge, Essex, is currently underway and has included XRF analyses of the alloy composition. Two tribes, in Kent and Essex, are associated with a leader named Dubnovellaunos shortly before the Roman invasion and there is ongoing scholarly debate whether this is one or two people and, if the former, whether separate mints existed.The ability of negative muons with specified momenta to probe below the surface of the coins without requiring any surface preparation or causing any harm to them will help to clarify the causes of the observed gold content variation and will quantify the degree and depth of any surface enrichment.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1910635
title: Understanding Spin Density Variations in Fluorinated TCNQ Adducts

description: There is a large emphisis on fucntialising materials to create magnetic and electrical materials. Tetracyanoquinodimethane is a famous material discovered in the 1960 and ws quickly identified as a having novel optical proeprties and being a powerful electron acceptor. In this study we want to study how the electron is distrobuted across a TCNQ molecule when different numbers of flourine are added to the quinodial ring using muon spin resoance. This will provide us with an experimental way of confirming how one could tune materials to shift transition temepratures or change the electrical properties.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610033
title: Structural development of magnetite chains

description: One dimensional (1D) magnetic nanostructures exhibit anisotropic magnetic properties and thereby differ from unstructured materials. However, magnetic chains are energetically unstable and ring structures are often formed. We have produced magnetite nanoparticles that form colloidally stable chains in aqueous environment. These 1D assemblies exhibit complex substructures involving its inorganic (magnetite) and organic (polyarginine) components. We propose here to use small angle neutron scattering (SANS) with contrast variation and isotopic substitution to resolve the distributions of magnetite, polyarginine, and water at the different hierarchical levels and at different stages of the formation process. The results will provide a basis for the understanding of formation and stability of 1D magnetic structures.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610111
title: MuSR study of organic solar cells

description: Organic solar cells are of great interest, due to their relative cheapness and ease of fabrication. Unfortunately the efficiency of the devices is much lower than the alternative inorganic devices. Organic solar cells are made from blends of 2 organic semiconductors, most common is regio-regular polythiothene (RR-P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). This proposal looks to build on previous research, which studied the ALCs of RR-P3HT and PCBM separately. Now we want to study the ALCs of the blended system P3HT:PCBM. The aims are to determine i. how the ALCs change as a function of temperature, ii. whether the magnetic impurities in RR-P3HT make a difference to the ALCs of the blended system and iii. to make sure that both sets of ALC s can be observed as a function of temperature. These measurements need to be understood before studying the system using the laser on HiFi
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610283
title: Using SANS to understand the structural basis for the rheology of molten chocolate

description: Molten chocolate is a semi-solid suspension of (mostly) sugar, but also cocoa and milk solids in oil. In order to allow the sugar grains to flow past each other, either when the chocolate is being made, or when it has melted in your mouth, it also contains additives known as surfactants. These are mostly naturally occuring products, such as lecithin, which is comprises lipids which are found at surfaces in nature, but also some polymeric molecules such as PGPR. We will use the technique of small angle neutron scattering to gain the structural information to test a model we have derived using polymer physics to explain how they lubricate the sugar grains and hence make nicer, healthier and cheaper chocolate.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610342
title: Hydrogen Embrittlement in Metals Deposited from Deep Eutectic Solvents

description: We propose to study the composition of metallic films of Cr, Co & Ni using specular NR measurements during electrolytic growth in deep eutectic solvent media in order to determine hydrogen content.  Hydrogen content in metals deposited by electrolytic reduction can cause embrittlement and structural failure.  The extent to which this may be a problem in coatings deposited from new & novel solvents such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents (DES) is unknown.  The metal coating will be electrolytically deposited on gold coated quartz blocks under potential control from the DES electrolyte known as Ethaline 200. The aim will be to both quantify the total hydrogen content in a film as a function of electrochemical growth potential & time but also to attempt compositional analysis as a function of growth time in order to understand where the hydrogen is accumulated in the growing film.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610427
title: Dye...TiO2 Interfacial Structure of Working Electrodes in Dye-Sensitised Solar Cells

description: The transparent and low-cost nature of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCs) affords them niche prospects for electricity-generating windows in buildings for energy-sustainable future cities. Despite their vast industrial potential, innovation is being held up by a lack of suitable dyes. Better dyes can only be realised if we can better understand how the dye...TiO2 interface of a working electrode in a DSC functions at the molecular level. To this end, we propose to study this interfacial structure (dye adsorption modes, interdye separation and dye/TiO2 tilt angles) of six high-performance DSC dyes on TiO2 surfaces, and relate this structure to the photovoltaic properties of the associated device. Thence, structure-function relationships will be established that can act as molecular design rules to guide the molecular engineering of new dyes that offer superior DSC performance.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610465
title: Effect of polar solvent on the formation of reverse phospholipid microemulsions

description: It is the aim of the proposal is to perform small angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies combined with contrast variation to determine the size and structure of the phospholipid-stabilised microemulsions prepared using a non-polar solvent (namely a diol) and a pharmaceutically acceptable oil (here ethyl oleate). Of particular interest is the effect of the structure of the non-aqueous solvent on microemulsion formation. Due to refractive index matching it is not possible to perform these studies using light scattering. Consequently neutron studies are essential to determine the formation of microemulsions these water-free systems. The studies will inform the future development of these interesting and potential important delivery systems.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610494
title: Vibrations of a muoniated radical center and photochemistry in benzophenone

description: Benzophenone is an ideal material to study vibrations of a muon radical centre with near-IR laser light, as all C=O bonds in solid state are almost parallel to each other and it is possible to grow large single crystals. This material also exhibits photochemical and photophysical phenomena when irradiated with UV that are appropriate for studies with musr. For example, benzophenone readily undergoes photochemical reactions via triplet exciton mediated hydrogen abstraction and addition, to form new amino acids. However, not much is known about muonium in the ground-state, with the only two published studies having somewhat contradictory results. We therefore propose an in-depth study of muonium in this material, to help plan the next stage of laser experiments.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1610497
title: An ALC study of the organic ferroelectrics TTF-CA and TTF-BA

description: The study of organic ferroelectrics based on mixed-stack charge-transfer salts is currently a rapidly developing research field. These materials attract interest as highly tailorable ferroelectrics whose dielectric properties include a strong contribution from an electronic charge transfer mechanism that operates alongside the more conventional ionic displacement mechanism. The prototype for this type of system is TTF-CA which combines the electron donor molecule TTF with the electron acceptor molecule p-chloranil (CA). The ferroelectric transition is at Tc=81 K and is accompanied by a neutral-ionic transition and a dimerisation of the chain. We plan to use ALC studies of this system and the bromine analogue TTF-BA (Tc=50 K) to provide local probe information aimed at better understanding the nature of the electronic state both above and below the transition and the 1D dynamics near Tc.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1720157
title: Production technology of ancient Orichalcum ingots

description: We propose neutron diffraction measurements on GEM aiming to characterize the production technology of a large and unique set of ancient orochalcum ingots. These were found near remains of a ship and earthenware dated around the end of the VI century BC, and coming from the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean sea. The analytical investigations are aimed at providing information in order to determine the metals compositions, crystalline structure, and textures. We plan to investigate the same samples with different non-destructive neutron techniques to obtain complementary information using INES and IMAT.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1720174
title: SANS experiments on phase separation in duplex stainless steel

description: Duplex stainless steels have an attractive combination of high strength and corrosion resistance, making them the natural choice in applications such as e.g. pressurised equipment in the nuclear-, chemical- and pulp & paper industry. Increased efficiency in these applications is linked to higher service temperatures, but the service temperature of duplex stainless steels is limited to ~250°C. This is due to the decomposition (embrittlement) of the alloy and subsequent degradation of its mechanical properties. Hence, it is the purpose of the present project to develop a holistic methodology for the design of novel duplex stainless steels that are less sensitive to low-temperature embrittlement. This will be achieved by combining of state-of-the-art multi-scale computational models and advanced experimental analysis using SANS, APT and TEM.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1720193
title: Room temperature biskyrmions in non-chiral thin film MnNiGa

description: Skyrmions are topologically protected, nano-sized objects which have been shown to exist in the spin textures of a range of magnetic materials and are currently under intense investigation due to their potential in spintronic applications. Recently, biskyrmions, a new type of skyrmion formed by the combination of two skyrmions of opposed spin helicities, have been observed in thin plates of MnNiGa using Lorentz TEM. Here we propose to use polarised neutron reflectometry to establish the existence of room temperature biskyrmions in sputtered MnNiGa thin films. This would constitute a significant advance towards the use of skyrmions in practical applications.
DOI: 10.5286/isis.e.rb1720228
title: Neutron reflection study of effects of non-ionic alkyl ethoxylates on model wax films

description: We propose to use NR to study the structural features of the model wheat wax films formulated from the known main components of long chain primary alcohols and an ester. By capturing the main structural characteristics we can compare these model wax films with the reconstituted ones from natural wheat waxes. We will then study the adsorption and absorption of nonionic C12E6 onto the wax film and the impact of this molecular interaction process on the structure of the model wheat wax films in terms of component removal and structural features of the remaining films. The structural info from NR could contribute to the understanding of transport of water and active agrichemicals across wax films. We request 3 days of Inter/Surf time for completing this experiment.