Synchrotron agreement signed by Canada and Brazil

Campinas, Brazil – Developing innovative, state-of-the-art synchrotron instrumentation is the purpose of an agreement signed last week between the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and the Brazilian Association of Synchrotron Light Technology (ABTLuS), operator of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS).

“This memorandum of understanding is the first step to what will be a very productive relationship between the synchrotrons of Canada and Brazil,” says Jeffrey Cutler, CLS director of industrial science. “Both of our facilities have similar mandates to apply synchrotron tools and techniques to areas that benefit our countries’ scientific and technological strengths”.

The agreement establishes a general framework for the two synchrotrons to collaborate on projects, develop common specialized knowledge and enable the exchange of staff and ideas.

One of the first initiatives under the new agreement is already underway, with CLS and LNLS working together to design and build some of the components for use in X-ray diffraction facilities planned at the respective synchrotrons. At CLS, this work benefits the Brockhouse X-ray diffraction facility. Currently in the design phase, the ‘Brockhouse sector’ is a $27.8 million project that is devoted to characterizing the structure of materials including advanced alloys and polymers, new kinds of batteries, food science and petroleum products.

At LNLS, the collaboration helps to develop a high flux X-ray Diffraction beamline currently in the design phase. This new beamline is part of a R$12 million project funded by Research and Projects Financing (FINEP), and is dedicated to nanomaterials and materials science characterization.