Case studies
Up one levelJust a few of the successful industrial studies carried out at the ESRF showing how the ESRF impacts on industrial products and development.
Superconducting wires, better without bubbles
Bubbles formed in filaments of a superconducting wire during fabrication have a negative effect on the critical current density of the final product. In situ X-ray tomography studies of the fabrication process permitted the evolution of the bubbles to be visualised. Eliminating bubble formation duri… (23-06-2011)
Carbon sequestration: Characterisation of limestone dissolution during CO2 injection into carbonate rocks
An approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to store CO2 by injecting it into underground reservoir rocks. Studies to understand changes to the composition of the rock and permeation of the CO2 are essential to the viability of future systems.… (11-05-2011)
Correlation of the microstructure of Raney-type nickel catalysts with catalytic performance
Synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used to examine the microstructure of various Ni-Al alloys prepared by gas atomisation. A correlation between the microstructure and catalytic activity was identified. Using the results to help optimise the alloy composition, Raney-type nickel catalysts with act… (03-09-2010)
Formulation of a urate oxidase enzyme as a crystalline drug
Microcrystalline suspensions of rasburicase, a urate oxidase enzyme, were characterised using X-ray powder diffraction. The study of the polymorphism of this protein will help identify the best crystalline formulation for subcutaneous administration.… (12-05-2010)
Designing new vaccines
BioXtal and NovartisVaccines used the MXpress service to determine the structure of a Meningitis B cell-surface protein in complex with a neutralising antibody. … (11-02-2010)
Powder diffraction reveals the crystal structure of the metastable polymorph of benzamide
Chemists have solved a 170 year old puzzle with a combination of analytical techniques, among which powder X-ray diffraction was the key.… (23-11-2009)
What makes ice cream smooth and creamy?
Unilever used high-resolution tomography imaging to characterise the microstructure of ice cream.… (23-11-2009)
Mapping trace elements within a grain of stardust
The 3D distribution of elements in cometary matter from Comet 81P/Wild2 returned by the NASA Stardust Mission was analysed using X-ray fluorescence nanotomography.… (23-11-2009)
For better exhaust catalysts
Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan and Europe) studied exhaust catalysts at the ESRF, using X-ray techniques that permitted examination of the structure of the catalyst surface and the chemical reactions taking place.… (24-09-2009)
What are the important characteristics of the progesterone-receptor binding site?
Schering-Plough used the ESRF MXpress service for data collection on crystals of the progesterone-receptor binding domain with bound ligands. … (18-09-2009)
Crystal structure of a beta-adrenergic receptor with bound ligand
MRC Cambridge used ESRF microfocus beamlines to determine the crystal structures of two beta-adrenergic receptors.… (29-09-2009)
Controlling diabetes through increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor activity
Sanofi-Aventis design better drugs for the treatment of diabetes thanks to their use of the ESRF MXpress service. They used synchrotron light to study macromolecular crystals of nuclear receptor proteins with bound agonists.… (11-09-2009)
Superconducting wires, better without bubbles
