Page 111 - ILL Annual Report 2019

MORE THAN SIMPLY NEUTRONS
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in biological research. Furthermore, every year the Group receives a small number of undergraduate placement students for training in the various techniques.
The Life Sciences Group is additionally involved in a wide variety of externally funded programmes exploiting the capabilities of the site’s Partnership for Structural Biology, as well as promoting interdisciplinary structural biology. It also interacts strongly with industry. In addition, it is involved in the operation and development of the cryo-EM capabilities being set up with the installation of Titan Krios at the ESRF, in collaboration with the ESRF, IBS and EMBL.
As part of its partnership with Keele University (UK), the Life Sciences Group has just created a joint-appointment faculty position in cryo-EM and neutron scattering. This position has recently been filled by Dr Daouda Traore, positioning the ILL as an equal partner in this important new development on the site.
Access to the D-Lab is gained through a rapid peer- review proposal system (see http://www.ill.eu/ instruments-support/instruments-groups/ groups/lsg/user-platforms). The Lab is available to all the ILL member countries, regardless of where the neutron scattering study is carried out. It is also available to users from non-member countries, although these users are expected to cover the costs involved.
CHEMISTRY LABORATORIES
The Soft Matter Science and Support Group (SMSS) manages the ILL chemistry laboratories, together with the PSCM laboratories. Its main goal is to give ILL users the ability to prepare and characterise their samples during their neutron experiments; however, it also supports the in-house research conducted by instrument scientists and PhD students.
The laboratories are stocked with the basic equipment (glassware, consumables and chemicals) necessary for preparing samples for a variety of neutron experiments, as well as more specific facilities such as high-temperature furnaces, a glovebox and an enclosure for handling nano-powders. The PSCM laboratories provide various means of characterising samples, such as UV-Vis, FTIR and light scattering.
The main facilities are located in the Science Building. In addition, three sample preparation labs can be found in the guide halls ILL 7 and ILL 22.
Further information on the Chemistry Laboratories can be found at https://www.ill.eu/users/support-labs- infrastructure/chemistry-laboratories/.
MATERIALS SCIENCE SUPPORT LABORATORY
The joint ILL–ESRF Materials Science Support Laboratory group (MSSL) provides a range of support to our users, from advice on experiment proposals to assistance with preparing samples and performing the experiments. The Lab has equipment for tensile testing, hardness testing and microscopy, as well as equipment for producing specialised sample holders.
The Lab staff work with users to optimise their experimental methodology before the start of an experiment. This can involve standardised specimen mounting, digitisation of samples and defining measurement macros. It is recommended that users get in touch well in advance and arrive at the ILL a day or two before the start of an experiment, to enable these off-line preparations to be performed.
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