UK national facility poised to expand use of state-of-the-art electron diffraction
Greater access to ED will allow characterisation of tiny crystals, deepening our understanding of everything from batteries and drugs to catalysts
The first national centre dedicated to electron diffraction will open in the UK this summer. The new centre will give the country’s research community access to a technique that can determine the molecular structures of much smaller crystals than other methods. The team behind the centre suggests it will become a game changer for the chemical industry, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and electronics.
Funded by a £3.2 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the National Electron Diffraction Facility will be based jointly at the University of Southampton and the University of Warwick. It will be part of the National Crystallography Service (NCS), a key component of the UK’s research infrastructure that has underpinned many scientific discoveries and developments.