Development of in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction capability with flash scanning calorimetry.

This LTP aims at developing a new capability at ESRF combining in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction with flash differential scanning calorimetry (FDSC). FDSC is an emerging technology that allows for the precise control of sample temperature and the measurement of calorimetric properties at heating/cooling rates of 10^4 K/s or above, several orders of magnitude higher than conventional calorimetry. Combining FDSC with high-energy X-ray diffraction will allow us to obtain detailed structural information on the atomic scale of systems in previously unprobed thermodynamic states. This new technique can be applied to a wide range of systems including but not limited to supercooled liquids, glasses (oxides, metallic glasses, chalcogenides, etc.), polymers, and phase change materials. The outcome of this LTP can benefit a large user community from the fields of physics, chemistry, and materials science and engineering, among others, and expand ESRF’s user base.