The Rapid Analysis of Combinatoric Sample Arrays is one of more than a dozen unique facilities developed by the Critical Materials Institute, an Energy Innovation Hub of the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Combinatorial ‘libraries’ of newly synthesized experimental compounds are assessed in a facility at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). Serving three Energy Innovation Hubs – Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP), Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), and CMI – this facility provides simultaneous high-speed x-ray diffraction (for structure determination) and x-ray fluorescence (for chemical composition).
- Using a furnace built by the Ames Laboratory, sample arrays can be heated up to 1100°C in a controlled environment to simulate manufacturing processes, while collecting concurrent structural and chemical data for as many as 2,500 distinct compositions, in less than 5 seconds per sample. This can be compared with data acquisition times ranging up to several hours per composition, using conventional methods.
- This facility primarily supports the efforts of developing substitutes and has potential uses in crosscutting research, and it addresses the grand challenge of accelerating the development of new materials.
- For more information, and to explore using the rapid analysis of combinatoric sample arrays, contact Ryan Ott at the Ames Laboratory or 515-294-3616, or Matt Kramer at the Ames Laboratory 515-294-0276.