International XRD excites: Non-Ambient XRD and Beyond Symposium

In July 2024, Anton Paar and the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at Graz University of Technology successfully hosted the first international edition of the XRD excites: Non-Ambient XRD and Beyond Symposium. More than 90 participants from over 20 countries gathered in the Austrian city of Graz for the meeting.

The event brought together an array of users from the field of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and non-ambient XRD, with the aim of encouraging multidisciplinary cooperation and an open exchange of experience between renowned scientists, young scientists and industry professionals. In this unique setting, researchers with different scientific backgrounds – ranging from materials science, crystallography, geology and mineralogy to energy storage and conversion – got together, learned about their individual progress and challenges in the application of non-ambient XRD and other areas, and sparked new ideas for their own research.

The symposium featured 23 high-level presentations from keynote speakers such as Claudia Weidenthaler from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung on in situ studies of energy materials, Monica Dapiaggi from the University of Milan on coupling laboratory and synchrotron NA-XRD data, Scott Misture from Alfred University on in situ powder XRD and high-resolution XRD studies of oxides, David Walker from the University of Warwick on non-ambient XRD analysis in the laboratory, Rémy Guillet Nicolas from CNRS LCS – ENSICAEN on small-pore zeolites, Volker Kahlenberg on non-ambient powder XRD studies in mineralogy and geology, Vishnu Shanker from NIT Warangal on graphite-based carbon nitrides, and Stefan Weber from Abbvie Germany on the use of non-ambient XRD for biological drug development.

A poster session offered an opportunity to discuss the latest scientific findings in more detail and initiate possible future collaboration projects between the participants. Last but not least, participants were given a deeper insight into non-ambient XRD in a special workshop that also included hands-on sessions with different types of non-ambient XRD attachments.

It wasn’t all work though!

A guided city tour in Graz – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and company tour at Anton Paar ended with a visit of the Anton Paar Sudhaus brewery, where head brewmaster Gebhard Sauseng explained the details of the brewing process. Of course, no brewhouse tour would be complete without the option to also sample the beers fresh from the tap. From there, it was only a few steps to the conference dinner.

With this first XRD excites: Non-Ambient XRD and Beyond Symposium, Graz University of Technology and Anton Paar – together with all the participants – placed impressive emphasis on non-ambient XRD in a city that has a long history and deep connection to the field.

For more information please click here:

https://www.anton-paar.com/corp-en/xrd-excites/?utm_source=IUCr_Newsletter_pr&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=hq_education-research&utm_content=C-00066872.