[Press Release] University Of Copenhagen to Establish Electron Diffraction Facility Following the Installation of a Rigaku XtaLAB Synergy-ED

Rigaku is pleased to announce the sale of another XtaLAB Synergy-ED electron diffractometer. The system will be installed at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen in a new electron diffraction facility due to open in Autumn 2023.

The Rigaku XtaLAB Synergy-ED is the world's first turnkey electron diffractometer. Developed in collaboration with JEOL, the XtaLAB Synergy-ED meets the growing need for structural analysis of nanocrystals at sub-Angstrom resolution, going beyond the limits X-ray techniques, including synchrotrons. The addition of the XtaLAB Synergy-ED to Rigaku's portfolio reinforces their position as world leaders in crystallography

The University of Copenhagen will be one of the first XtaLAB Synergy-ED installations in the world. Their decision to select a Rigaku XtaLAB Synergy-ED followed a comprehensive competitive analysis of the system at Rigaku’s European office in Germany. The decision was cemented following the successful demonstration of the cryo-transfer capabilities, which allows for structural solution of hydrates and solvates. Application scientists at Rigaku have already determined the structure of hundreds of materials, including complex pharmaceutical excipients, using their electron diffractometer.

The University of Copenhagen’s new electron diffraction facility has already generated much interest internally. Researchers and collaborators are excited about the potential of electron diffraction, while existing Rigaku X-ray diffractometer users will be able to make a rapid transition to the new system because both instrument types use the same CrysAlisPro software for experiment design and structure determination.

Professor Jesper Bendix, who heads the consortium behind the creation of the facility commented, “Since the establishment of our consortium, there has been strong interest from pharmaceutical companies and local researchers, including Nobel Prize winner Professor Morten Meldel, about using the facility. Now, with the addition of this instrument to our analytical capabilities, we are only limited by our imaginations.”

Dr Mark Benson, General Manager, Global Sales and Marketing at Rigaku, said, “We are pleased that the University of Copenhagen has selected the XtaLAB Synergy-ED to form the cornerstone of their electron diffraction facility, and have no doubt that it will open up new areas of research and opportunities for them. We are also excited about the market acceptance of our new system, which seems to be gaining momentum with sales thus far exceeding our expectations, and we look forward to announcing the next sale in the near future.”

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen is grateful for funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which made the purchase of the Rigaku XtaLAB Synergy-ED possible.