Project R-15939

From DUBBLE to FLAME: The Flemish beamLine for Advanced Materials Exploration at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) (Research)

Synchrotron X-rays, produced when charged particles orbit in a storage ring close to the speed of light, are much more intense than X-rays generated in the lab or used for example in hospitals. By studying the interaction of a synchrotron X-ray beam with living or non-living matter, their structure and dynamic changes can be revealed down to the atomic length scale and at sub-millisecond time intervals. This project finances research at the Flemish research station established at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the world's most advanced facility of its kind, in Grenoble. This research station was previously known as DUBBLE, but following a profound reconfiguration will be renamed into FLAME. Through experiments at the ESRF and FLAME, Flemish scientists and engineers are able to study and explain the chemical and physical properties of matter. With this knowledge, they can design new materials, e.g. for advanced electronic components or energy conversion and storage devices such as solar cells, batteries and fuel cells. Such studies also allow revealing what our planet is made of, how human actions affect the environment, which processes sustain life or what the secrets are hidden behind iconic paintings. Others use the outcome of synchrotron based research to develop more tasty and healthy food or to find new ways of conquering diseases.

01 January 2025 - 31 December 2028