Welcome to the combined November/December issue of The Bridge. December can be a complicated month. People are taking holidays and vacations, often traveling. The weather is changing (not often for the better), complicating all that travel. There are end-of-term responsibilities for academics and budgetary planning deadlines for people working in industry.
We at Rigaku hope that you can find some calm in the middle of any storms and enjoy any festivities you celebrate. All the best for 2025, which sounds like the title of a science fiction novel! We’ll be back in January with a new issue of this materials science newsletter.
As promised, here are the answers to the quiz from the October issue:
1) In computed tomography (CT), what problem does "beam hardening" often cause?
A. Beam hardening leads to artifacts, affecting the clarity of CT images, especially in dense materials [source]
2) What is the spatial resolution limit in micro-CT imaging?
B. The spatial resolution in micro-CT imaging generally ranges between FOV/1000 and FOV/3000 depending on the system and sample type [source]
3) Which type of X-ray energy source would be most appropriate for analyzing small (a few mm) organic samples in micro-CT?
C. A medium voltage of 60–90 keV is optimal for small organic materials [source]
4) What is the typical first step in analyzing micro-CT data for materials research?
B. Image segmentation begins with thresholding gray levels to distinguish different phases in the material [source]
Did you know that the Rigaku Bridge Digest is on LinkedIn? Check it out here.
Upcoming Events
AABC 2024 – Advanced Automotive Battery Conference | Las Vegas, NV | Dec 9 - 12, 2024 |Website
Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics Conference 2024 | San Diego, CA |Dec 15 - 18, 2024 |Website
Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Seminar | Long Beach, CA | Jan 14 - 16, 2025 | Website
Florida Hazmat Symposium | Daytona Beach, FL| Jan 14 - 17, 2025 |Website
2025 Georgia Tech Symposium & Workshop | Atlanta, GA | Jan 14 - 15, 2025 | Website
2025 Georgia Tech Symposium & Workshop
The Materials Characterization Facility is pleased to announce that in January, in collaboration with Rigaku, the MCF will be hosting a workshop on X-ray diffraction. The event will feature seminars from researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of South Carolina and Rigaku Americas each morning. Afternoons will feature hands-on training and application of techniques and showing off the capabilities of the tools and the software.
Battery Expert Interview: How do CT Instruments Help with Battery Analysis?
The interview on AZoM highlights the transformative role of X-ray computed tomography (CT) in battery analysis. CT enables researchers and manufacturers to visualize internal structures, identify defects, and optimize designs non-destructively. Tim Bradow, Senior Business Development Manager at Rigaku Americas, explains how CT tools are essential for both research and production environments, offering insights into voids, swelling, and misalignments that impact performance and safety.
0, 1, and 2D pixel detector with high energy resolution for MiniFlex system
In general, X-ray diffraction measurements using a Cu X-ray source are known to have difficulty detecting trace crystalline phases because of increased background when measuring samples containing transition metals. The high energy resolution of the XSPA-200 ER suppresses the fluorescent X-rays originating from the sample, thereby reducing background, enabling highly sensitive measurements of samples containing transition metals, such as iron and steel compounds and battery materials. Therefore, it achieves higher sensitivity measurements than conventional detectors.
Rigaku and Herzog Laboratory and Showroom Ribbon-cutting Ceremony
Get an inside look at the unveiling of our new automation circuit at Herzog Automation Corporation. Watch the spirit of the event, from the ribbon-cutting ceremony to moments of connection, celebration, and a glimpse into the innovative demonstrations in our new laboratory and showroom. You'll also see the key contributors and partners who brought this vision to life. The laboratory and showroom will be open for visits only until Spring 2025.
November 18, 2024: Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light have developed advanced laser technology using a high-power ytterbium thin-disk laser to generate high-power, stable pulses in the short-wave infrared spectral range. This allows them to detect and analyze a wide variety of climate-altering pollutants in the atmosphere.
November 21, 2024: Scientists at Northwestern University have developeda new protective coating based on amidiniumthat significantly extends the life of perovskite solar cells, making them more practical for applications outside the lab.
November 25, 2024: It is the fortieth anniversary of the discovery of quasicrystals, crystalline alloys that had a seemingly impossible arrangement of atoms with apparent fivefold symmetry.
This application note highlights the use of X-ray CT (computed tomography) for inspecting solder connections on protection boards in lithium-ion battery packs. These boards, equipped with MOSFETs and other electronics, safeguard against short circuits, overcharging, and over-discharging. While traditional 2D X-ray inspection is commonly used to evaluate void volume in solder joints, X-ray CT provides a more comprehensive analysis by allowing full observation of solder depth, die connections, and quantification of void volume distribution. This approach enables better characterization of voids that might be obscured in 2D projections due to overlapping components, enhancing the reliability of solder inspection in battery protection boards.
This application note demonstrates the analysis of nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), and iron (Fe) in crude and residual oils using the ASTM D8252 method, along with sulfur (S) analysis compliant with ASTM D4294. Metal content, including Ni, V, and Fe, plays a crucial role in determining the quality and grade of crude oil, particularly in bunker fuels, while sulfur levels are critical for regulatory compliance. Rigaku's NEX QC+ benchtop EDXRF analyzer provides a simple, portable solution for meeting industry requirements, including NYMEX/CME specifications for light sweet crude oil futures contracts, ensuring accurate, reliable measurement of these critical elements.
Performance Evaluation of the High Frame Rate Detector XSPA
In recent years, Hybrid Photon Counting (HPC) detectors have been widely used in the field of X-ray measurement. These detectors display no readout noise and provide a large dynamic range, high frame rate, small point spread function and no blurring. By combining these advantages of HPC detectors with high-speed data readout systems, it is possible to realize a high-performance X-ray detection system with single-photon detection and high detection efficiency. X-ray Seamless Pixel Array (XSPA) technology is capable of continuous measurements at 56,000 fps and, with the XSPA Burst Mode, it is possible to achieve intermittent measurements at 970,000 fps. The shortest exposure time for a single frame is 48 nanoseconds. This is achieved by the high-performance chip and a data readout system that can handle high data rates in real time. In this report, we evaluated the basic performance of the XSPA detector.
If you want to revisit Rigaku’s 2024 webinars on Materials Analysis, recordings are available here. Explore a range of topics, from advanced XRD and XRF techniques to battery research and failure analysis, at your convenience.
The Opioid Matrix is a podcast for anyone looking for the latest information in the illegal drug supply chain—beginning to end. Each episode will feature a discussion with industry experts about the current opioid crisis, including drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, drug identification, drug addiction, as well as the role of government, law enforcement, new health and social programs, and more.
The Battery Lab is a podcast empowering the researchers powering the future. Every episode features insights from the industry experts, leading academics and cutting-edge research advancing batteries — and society — to the next level of safety and efficiency. From raw materials to analysis to state-of-the-art designs, if you care about fueling the future, you’ve come to the right place.
.png?upscale=true&width=854&upscale=true&name=XSPA-200%20ER(450x450).png)
%20-%20Winter%202024/Rigaku%20Journal%20cover%20-%20Winter%202024%20Vol.%2040%20No.%201.jpg?upscale=true&width=320&upscale=true&name=Rigaku%20Journal%20cover%20-%20Winter%202024%20Vol.%2040%20No.%201.jpg)
