Local and propagating vibrations occurring in DNA in the terahertz domain are essential for processes at the basis of cellular metabolism. Here we report the results of a study on the B-DNA terahertz dynamics where we combined high-resolution inelastic x-ray experiments and incoherent inelastic neutron scattering. By using two different high-hydration conditions we could study …
May 29 2020
Atomic scale investigation of the volume phase transition in concentrated PNIPAM microgels
Combining elastic incoherent neutron scattering and differential scanning calorimetry, we investigate the occurrence of the volume phase transition (VPT) in very concentrated poly-(N-isopropyl-acrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgel suspensions, from a polymer weight fraction of 30 wt. % up to dry conditions. Although samples are arrested at the macroscopic scale, atomic degrees of freedom are equilibrated and can …
Mar 20 2020
Microscopic pathways for stress relaxation in repulsive colloidal glasses
Residual stresses are well-known companions of all glassy materials. They affect and, in many cases, even strongly modify important material properties like the mechanical response and the optical transparency. The mechanisms through which stresses affect such properties are, in many cases, still under study, and their full understanding can pave the way to a full …
Jan 10 2020
The instrument suite of the European Spallation Source
An overview is provided of the 15 neutron beam instruments making up the initial instrument suite of the European Spallation Source (ESS), and being made available to the neutron user community. The ESS neutron source consists of a high-power accelerator and target station, providing a unique long-pulse time structure of slow neutrons. The design considerations …
