1 0 A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 extracellular fluid of the body, as well as in saline. They measured how much photoelectrical current was generated when they exposed the disks to light of various wavelengths. They also performed x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize the passive films that were naturally present on the surface of the titanium. “The reactivity of titanium with high corrosion resistance, as revealed in this experiment by its electronic band structure, is one of the primary reasons for its excellent biocompatibility among metals,” add the scientists. This research may lead to safer and less expensive implants for hip replacements or dental implants, because titanium is relatively rare and expensive. www.tmd.ac.jp/english. TESTING | CHARACTERIZATION STUDYING BATTERIES AT THE NANOSCALE Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colo., are conducting groundbreaking experiments using x-ray diagnostics techniques to examine the structure of battery materials. There is a common consensus that x-ray imaging techniques hold the key to unlocking critical information about the performance of energy storage systems. With the anticipated addition of a new x-ray nanoscale computed tomography (nano-CT) scanner, NREL researchers will have the technology that enables them to get a clearer picture of energy materials than ever before. “This scanner expands our capabilities at NREL with a new spatial resolution of 50 nanometers, a limit otherwise only achievable at high-energy synchrotron x-ray facilities,” researcher Donal Finegan notes. Significant improvements to the resolution of nano-CT systems open the door to advances in how scientists understand the composition, architecture, and properties of battery materials. As the sample rotates, an x-ray beam creates 3D images with extreme resolution. Given the nondestructive nature of nano-CT, researchers can view changes as they occur in real time to understand the reactions within a battery during operation or cycling. nrel.gov. BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF TITANIUM Scientists from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University are studying the source of titanium’s biocompatibility when implanted into the body, as with hip replacements and dental implants. Using photoelectrochemical measurement and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, they find that its reactivity with the correct ions in the extracellular fluid allows the body to recognize it. This work may lead to longer lasting next-generation medical implants. Despite numerous studies on biological reactions with implanted materials, the reason for the biocompatibility of titanium remains poorly understood. The research team tested thin disks of titanium in a solution containing ions meant to mimic the Plastometrex, based in the U.K., received an Innovate UK SMART grant along with testing service providers ROSEN and Element Materials Technology, and the U.K.’s National Physical laboratory. Funds will be used to develop new products for nondestructive testing of metal components in the field. The company launched a benchtop testing device in 2020 and plans to release the portable version in 2023. The system will apply to all metallic materials and will be used to test the strength of a variety of critical metal assets. plastometrex.com. BRIEF A visual comparison of super-resolution microscopy imaging obtained by five trained networks. Image courtesy of npj Computational Materials. This graph shows the change in open circuit potentials (OCP) of titanium in Hanks and saline for 72 h. NOVEL ION BINDING With the help of a self-built ion microscope, researchers from Germany’s 5th Physical Institute of the University of Stuttgart verified a novel
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