SLAC’s Game-Changing Beamline: A New Era for Catalysis Research

SLAC’s Game-Changing Beamline: A New Era for Catalysis Research Beamline 10-2 at SLAC

Published on April 23, 2025 by Quantum Server Networks

In a groundbreaking move for the field of catalysis, the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has unveiled its first-ever dedicated catalysis research beamline at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL). Known as Beam Line 10-2, this high-tech installation is designed to empower a rapidly growing community of catalysis researchers with precision tools and real-time data capabilities.

Why Catalysis Matters

Catalysts are vital to nearly every aspect of modern industry—from refining fuels and purifying water to producing polymers and pharmaceuticals. They accelerate chemical reactions by lowering the required energy input, making them indispensable in both basic and applied sciences.

The Innovation Behind Beam Line 10-2

At the heart of this new facility is a quick-scanning monochromator, engineered to capture full spectroscopic data sets in milliseconds rather than minutes. Developed by SSRL's Oliver Mueller, this tool can now produce up to 72,000 spectra per hour—a thousand-fold increase in data acquisition speed compared to traditional methods.

“This beamline combines high flux with rapid scanning, offering scientists an unmatched view into catalytic reactions as they happen,” explains SLAC scientist Adam Hoffman. Whether it’s changing pressure, gas composition, or temperature, researchers can now simulate real-world reaction conditions and analyze them in real-time.

Co-ACCESS and the Community Boom

The development was driven by Co-ACCESS (Consortium for Operando and Advanced Catalyst Characterization via Electronic Spectroscopy and Structure), an initiative founded in 2019 that supports users throughout every phase of catalysis research. Under its guidance, SSRL's catalysis community has grown from six to over seventy principal investigators in just six years.

Applications Beyond Catalysis

Beam Line 10-2 isn't just about catalysts—it’s poised to revolutionize battery research as well. Scientists like Molleigh Preefer are already looking into its potential for real-time analysis of fast-charging battery materials, helping to identify degradation processes and optimize battery longevity.

With its first experimental runs expected soon, Beam Line 10-2 stands as a shining beacon of scientific progress, offering insights that will ripple across multiple fields of research.

➤ Original article published by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory via Phys.org.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-dedicated-beamline-slac-catalysis-community.html

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