Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SINE2020 (World class Science and Innovation with Neutrons in Europe 2020 – SINE2020)

Teaser

SINE2020 – world-class Science and Innovation with Neutrons in Europe – unites 18 partners from European neutron and muon centres, universities and research institutes, around two major goals:- Preparing the European neutron community for the unique opportunities to be...

Summary

SINE2020 – world-class Science and Innovation with Neutrons in Europe – unites 18 partners from European neutron and muon centres, universities and research institutes, around two major goals:
- Preparing the European neutron community for the unique opportunities to be provided by tomorrow’s European Spallation Source (ESS), the largest ESFRI research infrastructure project/landmark (Strategy Report on Research Infrastructures, Roadmap 2016), planned for user activity in 2023.
- Developing the innovation potential of today’s large-scale neutron and muon facilities.
To achieve its goals SINE2020 has been structured into 10 work packages. WP1 to WP4 address two common objectives: foster collaboration among the user community and nurture future generations of users, from academia and industry. WP5 to WP10 consist of Joint Research Activities concentrating on technical tasks identified as important for the scientific challenges to be addressed by this community.

Work performed

Management, Dissemination, Education and Industrial Liaison (WP1 to WP4): All the partners and WPs (1 to 10) meet the deliverables and milestones within the timeline as given in the DoA. Since the official kick-off of the SINE2020 project in October 2015, partners met twice (MS2). And had its midterm review in Brussels, July 2017. The progress of all WPs is reported on the project’s internet platform (http://www.sine2020.eu) and via our social network channels. The e-learning portal registered as much as 9000 visits at the end of the second reporting period. We finalised additional courses (advanced topics in neutron scattering), self-paced learning modules, on-line graphical analysis tools and the implementation of three virtual instrument models. Further, WP3 has supported 20 European schools (11 introductory/ 9 advanced) in the second reporting period. Our Industry Liaison Group attended as many as 32 events in the months 19 -36 (54 in total, months 0-36), which led to 42 applications for test measurements. Test experiments were conducted at facilities and selected experiments were published in case studies (21 in total). Our ILOs launched the SYNERGI series in close collaboration with synchrotron facilities. The industry strategy paper is in preparation with due date M48, with important input from the IAB and partners from CALIPSOplus.
Scientific Progress and Technical Developments – Joint Research Activities (WP5 to WP10):
Within WP5 (Deuteration) partners have continued to successfully produce a wide variety of both routine and non-routine deuterated precursors and surfactants (STFC Deuteration facility), membrane lipids (ILL), as well as the first per-deuterated target molecules of enantiopure lactic acid using enzyme catalysis (D 5.4, DEULAB at ESS), and polylactic acid biopolymers based on it (D5.11, FZJ). The partnership appointed an international advisory board for the DEUNET platform, and carried out a European User survey of current and future deuteration needs.
In WP6 (Macromolecular crystallogenesis) ILL finalised the investigation and feasibility testing of automated robotic approaches for the growth of large crystals is finalised. First tests on protein crystal alignment under field turned out to be successful. The ESS worked on the optimization of deuteration strategies, quality check of obtained crystals by X-ray diffraction and adaption of vapour diffusion conditions. FZJ concentrated efforts on the design of a crystallization apparatus. First screening of the crystallization of model proteins will start in November 2018.
WP7 (Sample Environment): The version 1 of the Sample Environment Communication Protocol (SECoP) is now publicly available. Cryostats and furnaces are now 3x to 5x faster whilst producing up to 3x less background. Muon instruments can now perform experiments at 50% higher pressures on larger samples and neutron scattering clamp cells are going to follow the same route. NMR experiments combined with neutron scattering are now possible and muonium chemistry is becoming reality.
WP8 (Instrumentation – e-tools) succeeded on an improved solution for supermirrors in MCNP (D8.3). Benchmarking experiments to confirm simulated experiments in MNCP and McStas were performed at BOA PSI (D8.4) and an improved material description for high-energy neutron transport was released (D8.9). A key activity for Task 2 was the development and assessment of novel materials for instrument shielding (D8.6). Finally, new concepts for Larmor labelling using compact instrument have been studied and reported (D8.7).
WP9 – Detectors: The development of a range of different detector technologies for high rate high resolution neutron scattering applications has continued, together with the development of a high rate detector technology for muon spectroscopy. As examples LIP has realised a fivefold increase in the neutron detection efficiency of its resistive plate technology, while the ILL has achieved two-dim

Final results

The tasks of all work packages have clearly defined objectives, with an impact beyond the time horizon of the SINE2020 project. Whilst preparing and reinforcing the European community for the scientific opportunities to be provided by the ESS, this project also develops the potential of existing large-scale facilities beyond 2020. The benefits of the technical improvements and training opportunities proposed will impact on the quality of the experiments and subsequent publications. The commitment of all the partners to their tasks demonstrates the renewed and long-term capacity for innovation inherent to the neutron sector and its capacity to adapt to today’s societal challenges. Especially,
• The e-neutron, and DEUNET platforms play an important role in terms of outreach and sustainability of results obtained through the cooperation of our partners.
• Our industrial liaison officers have elaborated with support of the external Industrial Advisory Board a strategy for attracting industrial partners to large scale facilities (M46).
• The synthesis of deuterated, biologically relevant, unsaturated lipid membranes, for investigations into the functionality of cell membranes and membrane proteins, provides avenues for research into health and disease (D5.9, D5.10),
• Large crystal growth work will remain a priority for neutron protein crystallography. Efforts to initiate large crystal growth in microgravity conditions are being investigated with a view to ESA engagement.
• Innovations on the neutron sample environment enhances the efficiency of specific components, such as furnaces with cooling rates superior by a factor of 5, increasing sample through-put on the instruments and reducing costly instrument down-time caused by sample manipulation (D7.9, D7.22).

Website & more info

More info: http://www.sine2020.eu/.