School of Chemistry Colloquium: Dr Alessia Portiere (ELDICO Scientific AG) Electron Diffraction -- an innovative and advantageous tool for structure determination of nanocrystalline materials

Abstract:
MicroED (microcrystal electron diffraction) is emerging as a powerful technique for the structural elucidation of challenging compounds as it bypasses the main limitation of growing crystals of suitable size for single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Applications range from natural products and pharmacology to geological sciences, advanced materials, nanotechnology, and many more. MicroED is also merging in the crystallographic community due to its incredible advantages that combine X-Ray benefits with Electron Microscopy. By combining the imaging features (STEM mode) with the diffraction mode of an electron diffractometer, crystal mapping of dozens to hundreds of nanosized single crystals can provide the missing information needed to fully understand the PXRD profiles. Electron Diffraction opens new innovative applications for people working in the industry and academic world for applications like impurity profiling, detecting micro crystallinity in amorphous materials, assisted solid state screening, which no other technology can do at this moment as swift and accurate. In this seminar Dr. Alessia Portieri, ELDICO Scientific AG, Switzerland, will show a range of examples including both nanocrystalline samples of known MOFs and new materials, all measured in continuous rotation mode on a dedicated electron diffractometer. High quality data also allow the study of molecular motion in the crystals and the identification of changes of the structures by solvent removal from the pores. The results illustrate the potential of this technique in the field of porous coordination networks and the benefits of dedicated instrumentation that has become available in recent years. She will also be sharing some different case studies with new applications using electron diffraction for people working in the pharmaceutical and related industry or academia.

Gemmi, M., Mugnaioli, E., Gorelik, T. E., Kolb, U., Palatinus, L., Boullay, P., Hovmöller, S. & Abrahams, J. P. (2019). ACS Cent. Sci., 5, 1315.

This event is open to final year undergraduate project students, PhD students, post-doctoral researchers and academic staff.

This will be an on-line event.