Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin Research Articles

Investigating phase behavior and structural changes in NiO/Ni-YSZ composite with monochromatic in-situ 2D and static 3D neutron imaging

In this work, we report neutron imaging studies of redox cycling of NiO/Ni-8YSZ (nickel/nickel oxide – yttria stabilized zirconia) composite used for electrodes in solid oxide electrochemical cells for efficient energy conversion (power-to-gas and vice versa) purposes (i.e. for anodes in solid oxide fuel cells, and for cathodes in solid oxide electrolysis cells). Results of in-situ 2D and ex-situ 3D measurements are presented. In-situ observation of phase transition between NiO and Ni were performed at the test Beamline for neutron Optics and other Applications (BOA) at the continuous neutron source SINQ of Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI, Switzerland) by means of monochromatic neutron imaging, and post mortem monochromatic neutron tomography was performed at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) at the BER II reactor using the CONRAD-2 imaging instrument. Combining both time resolved radiography and post mortem tomography provides complementary information about the reduction/oxidation degree and e.g. crack evolution in the investigated system and it is therefore possible to acquire information about the rate of chemical reactions and spatial evolution of phases and morphological features.

Addressing the Key Aspects of Photoelectrocatalytic Systems for Solar Fuel Production

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVEnergy FocusNEXTAddressing the Key Aspects of Photoelectrocatalytic Systems for Solar Fuel ProductionFrancesca Maria Toma*†, Akihiko Kudo*‡, Roel Van de Krol*§, and Lianzhou Wang*⊥View Author Information† Chemical Science Division, Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States‡ Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan§ Institute for Solar Fuels, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, 14109 Berlin, Germany⊥ School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia*E-mail: [email protected] (F.M.T.).*E-mail: [email protected] (A.K.).*E-mail: [email protected] (R.V.d.K.).*E-mail: [email protected] (L.W.).Cite this: ACS Energy Lett. 2017, 2, 12, 2725–2726Publication Date (Web):November 7, 2017Publication History Received31 October 2017Accepted2 November 2017Published online7 November 2017Published inissue 8 December 2017https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b01079Copyright © 2017 American Chemical SocietyRIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views2222Altmetric-Citations-LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (2 MB) Get e-AlertsSUBJECTS:Materials,Redox reactions,Solar energy,Solar fuels,Water splitting Get e-Alerts

Morphological Evolution of Lithium Electrode in Lithium-Based Cells: Investigated By Synchrotron X-Ray Phase Contrast Tomography

Lithium (Li) metal, due to its high theoretical specific capacity (3860 mA h/g), low density (0.59 g/cm3) and the lowest negative electrochemical potential (-3.04 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode), is widely considered as the most promising candidate for the next generation energy storage systems such as lithium-sulfur and lithium-air batteries. In addition, it has been currently used as a standard counter electrode for the evolution of new cathode or anode materials in half-cells. Unfortunately, the commercialization of Li metal as a negative electrode has not been succeeded due to the intrinsically uncontrolled growth of Lithium micro-Structures (LmSs, eg., dendrites, fibers) since the early investigation in 1970s. Although various characterization techniques such as optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been employed to characterize the morphological changes of Li electrodes, our understanding towards the evolution of Li during operational cycling has not greatly improved owing to these inherently limited analytical tools. The challenge of a detailed nondestructive characterization way and a comprehensive analysis of correlation between the evolution of Li electrodes and the battery electrochemical performance still remains. In the present demonstration, the powerful characterization tool, synchrotron X-ray phase contrast tomography imaging technique will be employed to characterize the evolution of Li electrodes during cycling. To this end, we have designed and fabricated a tomography cell (tomo-cell) for the three-dimensional nondestructive investigation, as shown in Fig. 1, along with a schematic illustration of the beamline set-up. Fig. 1. a) Photograph of the fabricated proof-of-concept cell. b) Corresponding schematic representation of the cell consisting of a polyamide-imide housing (brown), two screw electrodes and retaining screws each on top (light grey), two sealing rings (yellow), a porous separator (white) sandwiched between two electrodes (blue and green). c) Schematic representation of the experimental setup of the tomography station at the BAMline at BESSY II, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Germany. This figure has been adapted from ACS Energy Lett., 2017, 2, pp 94–104, with permission by the American Chemical Society. Selected results of our previous investigations using this tomo-cell about the evolution of Li electrodes in half-cells (lithium-silicon, lithium-sulfur and lithium-lithium cobalt oxide) and symmetrical cells (Li-Li) will be briefly demonstrated. The morphological evolution of Li electrodes based on these measurements will also be summarized. These unprecedented findings, which were not accessible from conventional microscopic characterizations and electrochemical measurements, fundamentally deepen our understanding of the evolution mechanism of Li electrodes during battery cycling. The insights obtained could open up the way toward design principles and opportunities to accelerate the commercialization of Li metal. Figure 1

Stable Electrocatalysts Based on Potential-Dependent Switching of Metal Oxide Support Conductivity

Metal oxides are gaining increasing interest in electrocatalysis research as alternative to commonly used high surface area carbon supports for electrocatalyst nanoparticles. On the one hand, metal oxide supports can offer improved corrosion resistance in electrocatalytic processes occurring at high electrode potentials where carbon supports suffer from severe oxidation. On the other hand, intrinsic catalytic properties of the supported catalyst nanoparticles can be influenced by interactions between catalyst and metal oxide support. Thus, metal oxides open a wide field for optimization of supported electrocatalysts similar to the situation in heterogeneous catalysis. However, in electrocatalysis applications, electronic conductivity of the support material is necessary, a requirement which is difficult to be met by metal oxides. Whereas few metal oxides possess intrinsic metallic conductivity, a wider selection of semiconducting materials is achieved by generating defects, such as dopant atoms or oxygen vacancies, inside the lattice of an intrinsically isolating metal oxide. Our research on semiconducting Sb-doped SnO2 (ATO) support for Pt nanoparticles in the context of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis revealed a fundamental descriptor for the choice of suitable metal oxide support materials [1]: Well-known from the theory of the semiconductor–electrolyte interface, the metal oxide flat-band potential separates the potential range where the oxide surface is enriched with mobile charge carriers from the potential range of charge carrier depletion leading to a drastically reduced support conductivity at certain electrode potentials. This potential-dependent in situ conductivity switching can be seen as direct electrochemical analog of a field-effect transistor. On the one hand, this electrochemical transistor effect can limit metal oxide support conductivity and, therefore, electrocatalyst performance if the conductivity switching potential, i.e. the metal oxide flat-band potential, overlaps with the potential range of application. On the other hand, as shown for Pt/ATO ORR catalyst, the electrochemical transistor switching of ATO conductivity has a highly beneficial effect on the stability of supported Pt nanoparticles by limiting electrochemical dissolution and Ostwald ripening at high electrode potentials. Therefore, the electrochemical transistor effect of metal oxide supports offers a way for the development of ORR catalysts combining high performance with strongly improved stability. Acknowledgement This work was supported by CCEM Switzerland and Umicore AG & Co KG within the project DuraCat. The authors thank the BESSY II synchrotron at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Germany, for providing beamtime at the 7T MPW SAXS beamline.

Professor Michael H. Foerster: update of the option for treatment of intraocular tumors

Being more than 19 years head of the Eye Clinic, Charite-Campus Benjamin Franklin, Prof. Dr. Michael Foerster ( Figure 1 ) is a leading expert in the field of eye tumors in the ocular fundus. These tumors are the result of an extremely malicious disease, which not only menace the ability to see, but also but a patient in mortal danger. Patients with eye tumors are being treated with proton beams since June 1998 by the Universitatsklinikum Benjamin Franklin of the Freie Universitat Berlin (now: Charite, Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin) together with the Hahn-Meitner-Institut (now: Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fur Materialien und Energie) in Berlin.

Preparation of Titania on Stainless Steel by the Spray-ILGAR Technique as Active Photocatalyst under UV Light Irradiation for the Decomposition of Acetaldehyde

One of the methods used to produce buffer layers for thin film solar cells is the Spray ion layer gas reaction (SPRAY-ILGAR). This method has exhibited astonishing efficiencies in the fabrication of homogenous compact metal chalcogenide films. The same approach can be applied in the preparation of photocatalyst on a substrate, in order to acquire a homogeneous and durable layer. In this work, the Spray-ILGAR technique has been utilized in the preparation of titania photocatalysts on stainless steel, which was carried out at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin for Materials and Energy, in Berlin, Germany. The characterizations and photocatalytic testing of the synthesized materials were then done at the Institute of Catalysis, Hokkaido University. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the titania was dispersed uniformly on top of the stainless steel, with a very durable and strong attachment. It was also found that the concentration of the titania on stainless steel can be easily varied by changing the concentration of the titania-precursor solution. Higher concentrations will result in a more compact and dense layer, while lowering the concentration of the precursor solution produces a less dense layer of TiO2. Apart from that, different temperatures did not change the distribution of the samples much. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials was determined in terms of the photocatalytic decomposition of acetaldehyde under ultra violet (UV) light irradiation. The photocatalytic testing results proved that the samples can completely degrade acetaldehyde under UV irradiation. The heating temperature played a crucial role, as the sample prepared by with heating temperature of 550 °C, concentration of titania-precursor of 6.83 mM and a spraying time of 12 min showed the best results, requiring only 35 min to fully degrade 500 ppm of acetaldehyde.

HFM/EXED: The High Magnetic Field Facility for Neutron Scattering at BER II

An overview of the high magnetic field facility for neutron scattering at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is given. The facility enables elastic and inelastic neutron scattering experiments in continuous magnetic fields up to 26.3 T combined with temperatures down to 0.6 K.

X-Ray Microscopy Conference 2016 (XRM 2016)

PrefaceOn behalf of the Program Committee I would like to thank all the participants of the 13th International X-ray Microscopy Conference, XRM2016, for their contributions. The conference was hosted by the Diamond Light Source and took place in the nearby historic city of Oxford, United Kingdom from the 15th to the19th August, 2016. The goal of this biennial conference is to address the most recent advances in X-ray microscopy by bringing together experts in the development and the application of X-ray microscopes. The conference also explored the position of X-ray microscopy alongside related techniques and disciplines.The present proceedings contain over 60 contributions, providing a representative selection of the conference content. Overall there were more than 380 participants in this conference, with a total of 72 oral presentations and 250 posters contributed. In addition we had three sessions of early career flash talks, which were well received. The manuscripts submitted for these proceedings were reviewed by a large team of referees. I thank them for their rapid and thorough work on the manuscripts as well as the authors for their contributions.The conference contained ten different topics. They are categorized into four groups here for a better overview:- Bio-imaging, Multi-modal imaging, Environmental and geosciences- Elemental contrast and chemistry, Energy and materials- Diffraction imaging- New sources and facilities, Novel techniques & applications, Optics, detectors and instrumentation, Data processing.Following the tradition of the XRM conference series, the Werner Meyer-Ilse Memorial Award (WIMA) rewards young scientists for exceptional contributions to the advancement of X-ray microscopy. The WIMA committee awarded the prize to Junjing Deng (Northwestern University, USA) and Matias Kagias (ETH Zurich / PSI, Switzerland). The winners for the poster prizes, who presented their work during the early career flash talk sessions, were Burcu Kepsutlu (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Germany) Simone Sala (UCL London, UK) and Ottó Márkus (KIT Karlsruhe, Germany).One highlight of the conference was the honoring of Janos Kirz and Günther Schmahl for their outstanding contributions and leadership over the years and especially for the conference series. We all remember the song composed by Chris Jacobsen that we sang together during the Wednesday special event presentation.Multiple sponsors had kindly contributed to the conference. I would like to acknowledge the following sponsors: Zeiss (conference dinner and conference AV); Silson (delegate giveaway); Bruker micro CT (literature package); Dectris Ltd (lanyards); and in alphabetic order: Applied Nanotools; Axilion; Axo Dresden/Huber Diffraction; Excillum AB; Hamamatsu Photonics; Lyncean Technologies Inc.; Norcada Inc; NTT Advanced Technology Corporation; PI miCos; Quantum Detectors; Queensgate; Rigaku; SGX Sensortech; Suna-Precision GmbH; Toyama Co. Ltd; XIA. Many of these sponsors provided exhibits during the conference offering the latest X-ray microscopy related products.Finally I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have contributed to XRM2016: the International Advisory Committee and the local Scientific Programme Committee for their support and advice, all the speakers for preparing and presenting inspiring talks and, last but by no means least, the Local Organising Committee for its enthusiastic efforts that have turned this conference into reality.I acknowledge my co-chairs, Liz Duke and Burkhard Kaulich, and our former Physical Sciences Director, Trevor Rayment, for the numerous and helpful discussions regarding the content and details of the conference. My special thanks go to Emma Clarke for her relentless work and effort. The support of the Diamond helpers and the communications team are also acknowledged.It has been a great honour to host the XRM2016 conference and we hope that all the participants have found the conference to be enjoyable and rewarding. We look forward to seeing you all at XRM2018 in Saskatoon, Canada.Christoph RauEditor XRM2016 proceedingsChair XRM2016 conference

E4: The 2-Axis Diffractometer at BER II

The double-axis diffractometer E4 is operated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. It is suited for magnetic structure determinations and parametric studies on single crystals in a wide range of external conditions. Pyrolytic graphite and germanium focusing monochromators offer two fixed neutron incident wavelengths of about 1.0*106 ncm-2s-1.

E3: Residual Stress Neutron Diffractometer at BER II

The E3 residual stress neutron diffractometer operated at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is designed for studies in material science and engineering applications. Recent upgrade activities have made the instrument faster and more adaptable to different types of measurement. Thus, E3 has become more attractive to a broad user community, including industry, and increased substantially its scientific output.

BioRef II-Neutron reflectometry with relaxed resolution for fast, kinetic measurements at HZB.

We present an upgrade to the time-of-flight neutron reflectometer BioRef at the research reactor BER II of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB). Through the integration of an additional chopper into the existing setup, the available wavelength resolution is significantly extended. Now two distinct operation modes can be used: a high resolution mode with Δλ/λ ranging from 1% to 5%, which allows for the investigation of thick films up to 4000 Å, and a high flux mode with Δλ/λ = 7%-11%. In the high flux mode, reflectivity curves from 0.007 Å-1 to 0.2 Å-1 with three angular settings can be recorded in 7 min. For a single angular setting and its respective window in Q-space, a time resolution of even less than 4 min is reached. The different configurations are documented by respective measurements (a) on a Ni-Ti multilayer and (b) the swelling kinetics of a solid-supported phospholipid coating upon incubation in a polyelectrolyte solution.

The test beamline of the European Spallation Source – Instrumentation development and wavelength frame multiplication

The European Spallation Source (ESS), scheduled to start operation in 2020, is aiming to deliver the most intense neutron beams for experimental research of any facility worldwide. Its long pulse time structure implies significant differences for instrumentation compared to other spallation sources which, in contrast, are all providing short neutron pulses. In order to enable the development of methods and technology adapted to this novel type of source well in advance of the first instruments being constructed at ESS, a test beamline (TBL) was designed and built at the BER II research reactor at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB). Operating the TBL shall provide valuable experience in order to allow for a smooth start of operations at ESS. The beamline is capable of mimicking the ESS pulse structure by a double chopper system and provides variable wavelength resolution as low as 0.5% over a wide wavelength band between 1.6Å and 10Å by a dedicated wavelength frame multiplication (WFM) chopper system. WFM is proposed for several ESS instruments to allow for flexible time-of-flight resolution. Hence, ESS will benefit from the TBL which offers unique possibilities for testing methods and components. This article describes the main capabilities of the instrument, its performance as experimentally verified during the commissioning, and its relevance to currently starting ESS instrumentation projects.

Numerical optimization of a RIXS spectrometer using raytracing simulations

At Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) the end-station PEAXIS (Photo Electron Analysis and X-ray resonant Inelastic Spectroscopy) combining Angle-dependent X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (AdXPS) and Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) is currently built. The latter method uses a spherical variable line space (VLS) grating to focus the beam onto the detector. Working in first-order diffraction allows resolving photon energy by transferring the energy-dependent signal to a position-dependent focal spot on the detector. Focusing requires a precise combination of various parameters of the VLS grating and the geometry of the RIXS spectrometer. The VLS grating was optimized by calculating the geometry parameters for different photon energies, simulating the instrument and evaluating the pattern on the detector. As figure of merit we chose the intensity times the square of the resolving power averaged over the photon energies.

Bandgap grading and Al0.3Ga0.7As heterojunction emitter for highly efficient GaAs-based solar cells

Both an Al0.3Ga0.7As heterojunction in the p-type emitter and a bandgap-graded layer in the n-type light absorbing base were employed in the GaAs-based solar cells. The simulation by AFORS-HET (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin) confirmed that the Al0.3Ga0.7As heterojunction enhanced the open-circuit voltage (Voc) by ~2%, and the n-type bandgap grading increased the fill factor by ~1%, respectively. The increased power conversion efficiency by ~3% supported the simulation results. An additional efficiency gain was obtained by the shape optimization of the band bending in the 80-nm compositional profile, increasing Voc up to 1.103V. The cell with the anti-reflective coating exhibited high performance with a power conversion efficiency of 28.7% under 1sun illumination, close to the world record of 28.8%.

Understanding the Cathodic Redox Reactions in Sodium-Ion Batteries: Bulk and Surface Study of NaXCo2/3Mn2/9Ni1/9O2

Sodium-ion batteries are regarded as a promising energy storage technology due the abundance and the low cost of sodium, as well as its suitable redox potential (E(Na+/Na)=-2.71 V vs. SHE). One main focus for the electrochemical energy storage community is to find suitable high performance sodium-ion insertion electrode materials. A number of potential candidates have been presented as cathode materials showing attractive electrochemical performances with stable cycleability and a good specific capacity. P2-NaxCo2/3Mn2/9Ni1/9O2 is one of these cathode materials. Synthesized by a simple sol-gel method, the material crystallizes in a P2-type phase with the P63/mmc space group and it delivers a specific discharge capacity of 110 mAh/g when cycled between 2.0 and 4.2 V vs. Na+/Na with a good capacity retention (11% loss after 90 cycles), an excellent coulombic efficiency exceeding 99.4%. When cycled up to 4.5 V, a new plateau starting after 4.2 V is observed giving a high specific discharge capacity of 140 mAh/g for the Na// NaxCo2/3Mn2/9Ni1/9O2cell. However, cycling at this high cut-off voltage is accompanied with a severe deterioration of the electrochemical performance of the material.1 Following the structural stability of the material, understanding the chemical composition of the electrode/electrolyte interface and its behavior during cycling, and the determination of oxidation states of the transition metals and their evolution are mandatory to rationalize the electrochemical behavior of the material at different voltages. The structural stability of the material was checked using operando/in-situ measurements. The experiment showed that the P2-type structure is stable when cycled between 2.0 and 4.2V. When the material is cycled up to 4.5V a new phase is formed which showed to have a totally reversible sodium intercalation process. Both in-house XPS (hʋ=1486eV) and HAXPES (hʋ=4000eV) measurements were performed for the pristine material. The evolution of the interface was followed by HAXPES (performed at Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin) measurements at different steps of the charge and discharge of our material. HAXPES measurements revealed that cobalt, nickel, and manganese are all electrochemically active upon cycling between 4.5 and 2.0 V; they are all in the 4+ state at the end of charging. Upon discharge, the reduction to Co3+, Ni3+, and Mn3+ occurs. At low potential there is a partial reversible reduction to Co2+ and Ni2+. By the use of both XPS and HAXPES, a thin layer of Na2CO3 and NaF is distinguished that covers the pristine electrode before any contact with the electrolyte. These compounds are mainly resulting from the reaction of the material with air but also with PVDF which is used as a binder for the electrode processing. Reversible dissolution/reformation of these compounds is observed during the first cycle. The degradation of the salt NaPF6 is driven by the potential where phosphates are the main degradation products at low potential and mainly fluorophosphates (NaPOxFy) are found at a high potential.2 This combined bulk and surface study allowed us to clearly understand the mechanisms of the reactions occurring during the first electrochemical cycle of composite electrodes based on P2-NaxCo2/3Mn2/9Ni1/9O2 tested in Na half-cells. These results showed also how the electrochemical performance of the cathode material might be hampered by the fast degradation of the electrolyte at high voltage but also of the choice of the binder. 1 S. Doubaji, M. Valvo, I. Saadoune, M. Dahbi, K. Edstrom, Synthesis and characterization of a new layered cathode material for sodium ion batteries. J. Power Sources, 266, 275-281 (2014). 2 S. Doubaji, B. Philippe, I. Saadoune, M. Gorgoi, T. Gustafsson, A. Solhy, M. Valvo, H. Rensmo and K. Edström, Passivation Layer and Cathodic Redox Reactions in Sodium - Ion Batteries Probed by HAXPES. ChemSusChem, 9, 97 – 108 (2016).

First Hybrid Magnet for Neutron Scattering at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) operates two large-scale facilities: the research reactor BER 2 and the synchrotron source for soft X-rays BESSY 2. This year HZB's neutron instrument suite around BER 2 has been strengthened by a unique high-magnetic-field facility for neutron scattering. Its main components are the High Field Magnet (HFM), which is the most powerful dc magnet for neutron scattering worldwide, and the Extreme Environment Diffractometer (EXED), which is a dedicated neutron instrument for time-of-flight technique. The hybrid magnet system is projected according to the special geometric constraints of analyzing samples by neutron scattering in a high field magnet. Following our past experience, only steady-state fields are adequate to achieve the goals of the project. In particular, inelastic scattering studies would virtually be excluded when using pulsed magnets. The new series-connected hybrid magnet with a horizontal field orientation was designed and constructed in collaboration with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), Tallahassee, FL, USA. With a set consisting of a superconducting cable-in-conduit coil and different resistive coils of conical shape, maximum fields between 26-31 T are possible with cooling power between 4 and 8 MW for the resistive part. A series of commissioning activities of the magnet components and the technical infrastructure systems (20-kA power supply, water cooling, and 4-K Helium refrigerator) was completed at HZB. The maximum field achieved with a 4-MW resistive coil was 26 T.

10th International Conference on Polarised Neutrons for Condensed Matter Investigations (PNCMI)

The 10th International Conference on Polarised Neutrons for Condensed Matter Investigations (PNCMI) was organised by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and held in Sydney, Australia on 15-19 September, 2014. Sixty-two researchers, post-docs, and students from 13 regions and countries participated in the conference. A total of 41 talks and 27 posters were presented covering the latest developments in scientific research using polarised neutrons and polarised neutron instrumentation. The topics covered included:• Multiferroics• Strongly correlated electron systems• Imaging• Soft matter and biology• Molecular magnetism• Magnetic nano-materials• Thin films and multilayers• Instrumentation development• Facility reportsThe first PNCMI was held at Dubna, Russia in 1996. It has since been held every two years in locations in Europe, Japan and the US. It was the first time for the meeting to be held in Australia.The conference's honorary chair was Dr Trevor Hicks of Monash University, who pioneered polarised neutron scattering in Australia.We would like to acknowledge the financial support by the following research institutes: ANSTO, Oak Ridge National Laboratory in US, ISIS, Science & Technology Facilities Council in UK, Jülich Center for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, Institut Laue-Langevin in France, and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin in Germany. We are grateful for the outstanding support provided by the ANSTO staff. We wish our participants and the organisers of the next PNCMIs success in their respective endeavours.PNCMI Organising CommitteeWai Tung Hal Lee, Conference Chair, Proceedings EditorElliot GilbertShane KennedyGarry McIntyre, Proceedings EditorKirrily Rule, Proceedings Editor

Trabeculectomy in patients with uveal melanoma after proton beam therapy.

Retrospective evaluation of intraocular pressure, use of topical and systemic anti-glaucoma medication, secondary complications, local tumor control and survival in patients treated with trabeculectomy for the regulation of the intraocular pressure (IOP) after proton beam therapy for uveal melanoma. In this retrospective clinical case series we evaluated the follow-up of 15 patients receiving a trabeculectomy as surgical treatment if the IOP could not be lowered adequately by medications or laser surgery. All patients had received proton beam therapy for uveal melanoma at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin between 1998 and 2010. The median IOP decreased significantly from 35mmHg ± 8.8 before TE to 16mmHg ± 8.2 (=52.3%) six months after TE (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney-U Test, p<0.01). None of the patients needed any glaucoma medication six months after trabeculectomy. Two patients developed local recurrence during follow-up, which were independent of the trabeculectomy. One patient had to be enucleated due to intractable pain and suspected remaining tumor activity. One patient died due to metastasis. Trabeculectomy is an option in intractable glaucoma in patients with uveal melanoma after proton beam therapy in single cases. Secondary interventions are common. Inoculation metastases are possible. Secure local tumor control must be a prerequisite for filtrating operations.

The MX beamlines BL14.1-3 at BESSY II

The Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) group at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is operating three state-of-the-art synchrotron beamlines for MX at BESSY II in Berlin (Heinemann et al., 2003; Mueller et al., 2012, 2015). The radiation source for all three beamlines BL14.1-3 is a superconducting 7T-wavelength shifter. Currently, the three beam lines are the most productive stations for MX in Germany, with about 250 PDB depositions per year and over 1500 PDB depositions in total (Status 10/2015). BL14.1 and BL14.2 are energy tuneable in the range 5.5-15.5 keV, while beam line BL14.3 is a fixed-energy side station operated at 13.8 keV. The HZB-MX beamlines are in regular user operation providing close to 200 beam days per year and about 600 user shifts to approximately 100 research groups across Europe. Additional user facilities include office space adjacent to the beam lines, a sample preparation laboratory, a biology laboratory (safety level 1) and high-end computing resources.

FeN4 complexes in graphene match Pt for fuel cell catalysts

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin for Materials and Energy (HZB), the Technische Universität (TU) Darmstadt, and the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany have produced a cost-effective catalyst for fuel cells, using a new preparation process. It consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in nm-diameter islands of graphene. It is only these FeN4 centres that provide the excellent catalytic efficiency, which approaches that of platinum.