Breakthrough X-ray Technique Enables 3D Mapping of Nanoscale Material Structures
The XL-DOT method offers unprecedented insights into the internal architecture of functional materials, paving the way for advancements in catalysis, energy storage, and biomedical applications.
- Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have developed X-ray Linear Dichroic Orientation Tomography (XL-DOT), a novel technique for 3D nanoscale imaging of material structures.
- The method uses polarized X-rays to map the orientation of crystal grains, grain boundaries, and defects with high spatial resolution down to tens of nanometers.
- XL-DOT was first applied to vanadium pentoxide, a catalyst used in sulfuric acid production, revealing intricate structural details critical for optimizing performance.
- The non-destructive nature of the technique makes it applicable to a wide range of materials, including those used in batteries, semiconductors, and biological tissues.
- This innovation is expected to advance research in material science and could become a widely adopted tool at synchrotron facilities globally.
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