X-Ray and Imaging Services


The world-class x-ray suite within the National Facility can deliver a range of services from powder characterisation, fingerprinting, variable temperature measurements, variable humidity measurements to unit cell determination and full structural solutions.   
CMAC also have a Xenocs Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) instrument, which can be employed in the investigation of materials with larger intermolecular spacing for the determination of shape and alignment of particles.  
Our Nano-CT service offers a non-invasive technique for the three-dimensional structural characterisation of solids this can be applied to analyse for samples with sizes > ca. 20 um.

The extensive optical and electron microscopy capability at the National Facility is located within a vibration sensitive laboratory.  This includes automated compound and inverted optical microscopes, off-line IR and Raman instruments with surface mapping features plus a benchtop SEM. This service enables physical samples to be imaged and chemically analysed at the facility.






X-Ray & Imaging Equipment


X-Ray Analysis Capability

  • Single Crystal XRD, Kappa Apex II, Mo radiation, Bruker
  • Single Crystal XRD, D8 Venture, Cu radiation, Bruker
  • Powder XRD, D8 Discover, Cu radiation, variable temperature & humidity stage, capillary, Bruker
  • Powder XRD, D8 Advance, Cu radiation, 1 x plate & 2 x capillary, Bruker
  • XRD Pair Distribution Function (PDF) Analysis, Empyrean, Ag & Mo radiation, PANalytical
  • Benchtop Powder XRD, D2 Phaser, Cu radiation, Bruker
  • SAXS/WAXS Cu/Cr/Mo Xeuss 2.0 5M, Xenocs







Imaging Capability


  • Optical Microscopy, Leica
  • SEM, FE-SEM 8500, Keysight Technologies
  • AFM, Dimension FastScan, Bruker
  • AFM, MultiMode 8, Bruker
  • IR Microscope, Hyperion 3000, Bruker
  • Raman Microscope, XPlora Plus, Horiba
  • Thermal Imaging Camera, A6702sc InSb, FLIR
  • Microscope Stages: Temperature, Rheology, Freeze Drying, Linkam
  • High Speed Imaging, FastCam, Photron
  • TOF-SIMS, ION-TOF
  • X-Ray Nano Computed Tomography, SkyScan 2211 Bruker

Work with us

Contact the CMAC Team with your enquires

+44 (0) 141 444 7102

national-facility@cmac.ac.uk