The main topic of the grant project is the study of thin films of hybrid composites based on carbon allotropes (especially C60) and transition (and noble) metals, their preparation, modification and characterization, and also the study of their biological properties (i.e., biotolerance, adhesion of bone-type cells, their growth, differentiation, etc.). The purpose is to develop novel hybrid materials with well-defined structures and interesting properties attractive for applications (e.g., for tissue engineering). For fabrication of the composites, suitable deposition techniques will be used; for characterization of the films an arsenal of analytical methods will be at our disposal. The preliminary experiments demonstrated an interesting aspect of the project – the possibility of preparing composite materials with regular structures at a (sub-) micron scale level either created due to spontaneous self-organization (induced by a certain deposition kinetics), or because of coordinated phase separation initiated by thermal annealing or irradiation with energy ion beams. The specific goal of this project is to shed more light on the onset, mechanisms and kinetics of the above-mentioned phenomena.

The NMI3 project falls within the activity 'Research Infrastructures' of the EU 7th Framework programme. The Integrated Infrastructure Initiative for Neutron Scattering and Muon Spectroscopy (NMI3) brings together 21 partners from 13 countries, including 10 research infrastructures, together with other interested organisations (see overview on the web).

NPL is funded as one of the partners within the NMI3 program of FP7. Therefore, within its Access activities,  we are able to support our users from EU member countries and associated states (see the list), except those from Czech Republic, by the reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses.

For more information on user access to the NPL experimental facilities, see this page.

The subject and principal aim of this proposal is the study and evaluation of neutron source facilities in the Czech Republic within preparatory activities for ESA purposes/needs. A parallel smaller part is the design and realization of short-term modifications of instruments. Long-term and major modifications and instrument upgrades can subject of future work.

Participation with the task: Development and optimization of high-resolution neutron scattering instruments dedicated to characterization and testing of materials of relevance to nuclear energy sector and related experiments in SANS, residual strain/stress and texture studies.

Gold and silver polyhedral particles with narrow size distribution and average diameter ranging from micrometer to nanometer dimensions will be prepared and securely deposited on titanium containing substrates (Ti or its alloys). The particles assembled into a consistent film with controlled roughness and morphology will be modified with selected thiol derivatives of boron hydrides. These substrate surfaces will be additionally treated with cell adhesion-mediating peptide-based ligands for cell adhesion receptors in order to promote and control the adhesion, growth and differentiation of osteogenic and vascular cells in cultures on the developed layers. Gold or silver nanoparticles will be tested in combination with fullerenes C60, i.e. carbon allotrope which proved to be a good substrate for the adhesion and growth of bone and vascular cells in our earlier studies. Potential cytotoxicity of silver containing layers in correlation with their antimicrobial properties will be tested.

The aim of the project is development of new advanced cast multiphase gamma based TiAl-8Nb-X alloys alloyed with the graded carbon content (0.2 to 1 at. %), produced so far only by powder metallurgy. Sufficient thermo-mechanical stability of these alloys will be guaranteed by the lamellar structure strengthened by favorable distributed precipitates obtained using an optimized complex heat treatment. The main pertinent applications of the alloys suggested are turbocharger rotor or gas turbine blade in automotive and power industry, respectively, in which a decisive degradation mechanism represents creep-fatigue interaction at higher temperatures. The structure of new-developed cast alloys and its thermo-mechanical stability will be studied both in virgin state after optimized heat treatment and after high temperature creep-fatigue tests. Neutron diffraction (in-situ and post-mortem studies), TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and other modern experimental techniques will be used for the structure analysis and the study of damage mechanisms.

The aim of the submitted proposal is to get financial support for development of Monte Carlo methods for simulations of complex neutron optical systems, including their experimental validation and application to the research of dispersive multiple reflections of neutrons in elastically bent crystals. The new methods will be implemened in existing and well established software package RESTRAX, which has been developed at the NPI Řež. The results of experimental research of multiple Bragg reflections supported by Monte Carlo simulations will be employed in the development of high-resolution monochromators and analyzers. The ultimate goal of the proposed research is twofold: (a) Creation of an easy to use, validated and efficient software for modeling and optimization of neutron spectrometers employing advanced neutron optics elements and for data analysis; (b) Development and tests of dispersive multiple reflection monochromators suitable for ultra-high resolution measurements.

Participation on multilateral project with the task: Development and optimization of a curved wide wavelength band monochromator based on strongly cylindrically bent perfect Si-slabs in a sandwich for microfocusing small-angle neutron scattering (mfSANS) device.

The main goal of the project is synthesis and characterization of promising nanostructured composites (mainly of carbon allotropes and synthetic polymers) exhibiting important biological and other (electrical, optical) properties that would be possible to utilize in the interaction with biological systems. The synthesized composite materials (based on fullerenes and metals, carbon and polymers, modified nanocrystalline diamonds, carborans, etched ion tracks and ion implantation or irradiation) will be inspected from the viewpoint of biocompatibility, adhesion and growth of cells and other bioapplications. Another goal of the project is demonstration of the active hybrid system based on combination of a cell (biomolecule) and microelectronic device with a modified nanocrystalline diamond as an interface.

Program interní podpory projektů mezinárodní spolupráce AV ČR (spolupráce ÚJF AV ČR, v.v.i. a KAERI Daejeon)

In the last decades many papers have been published in which successful employment of curved perfect Si crystals as neutron monochromators or analyzers in particular diffraction experiments has been reported. It has been found that due to the spatial condensation of neutrons (because of asymmetric diffraction geometry or focusing in real space), one may obtain a high monochromatic-beam density comparable to that of the mosaic monochromators. Taking into account reflectivity and the resolution properties of curved crystals Popovici et. al. (Missouri University) demonstrated a feasibility of the optimized curved crystal three axis spectrometer having the properties generally better than those of spectrometers employing flat mosaic crystals. New interest in the reflectivity and focusing properties of curved  perfect crystals has been evoked also by successful testing of the bent  perfect crystals employed in double-monochromator systems, or for medium-resolution small-angle scattering diffractometers. Favourable properties of bent Si crystals for short wavelength monochromatization have been reported and very efficient original double and triple axis arrangements employing the bent perfect crystals have been proposed and then tested for residual stress measurements of polycrystalline materials. In the last decade the neutron diffraction group of NPI ASCR, v.v.i. has been concentrated on the development of new unconventional types of neutron monochromators permitting significantly to increase figure of merit of some dedicated neutron scattering instruments. In this way a cooperation with colleagues from HANARO Centre in KAERI has appeared very fruitful.