Investigations of Condensed Matter 
by Modern Neutron Scattering Methods

Participating countries and international organizations:
Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Moldova, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. 

Issues addressed and main goals of research:
Investigations of structure, dynamics and microscopic properties of novel materials and nanosystems, interesting for fundamental research in the fields of condensed matter physics, chemistry, materials science, geophysics, and important for the development of nanotechnologies in the field of electronics, pharmacology, medicine by neutron scattering and complimentary methods. 

Expected major results in the current year:

• Determination of parameters of atomic and magnetic structure of bulk and nanostructured functional materials demonstrating interesting physical phenomena and being promising for technological applications in a wide range of thermodynamic parameters; exploration of the role of cluster aggregation in the formation of physical properties. 
  
  
• Determination of characteristics of atomic and magnetic structure of nanostructured magnetic oxides. 
  
  
• Determination of the structural changes during the charging/discharging processes and its relationship with electrode microstructure in compact power sources. 
  
  
• Operando analysis of the processes of deposition of electrically active ions from liquid electrolytes on electrochemical interfaces. 
  
  
• Revealing of proximity effects in magnetic layered nanostructures and analysis of magnetic properties in time-independent and constant magnetic fields. 
  
  
• Determination of the structural stability of colloid systems, including medical and biological solvents, in bulk and at interfaces. 
  
  
• Determination of structural characteristics of nanosystems based on compositional C- and Si-containing materials, including fullerenes, nanodiamonds and their bioactive derivatives. 
  
  
• Determination of structural characteristics of magnetic elastomers and carbosilane dendrimers holding promise for technological applications. 
  
  
• Determination of atomic structure and vibrational spectra of molecular complexes: ionic-molecular inclusive materials and complexes with electric charge transfer, structural and dynamical parameters of hydrogen bonding in bioactive materials. 
  
  
• Clarification of molecular mechanisms of protein interactions, dimerization and functional characteristics of supramolecular structures and complexes. 
  
  
• Determination of structural characteristics of lipid nanosystems in order to study the transport of pharmacological drugs through the skin. 
  
  
• Analysis of metamorphic, geodynamic and evolution processes in the lithosphere using data on the texture of deep and near-surface earth rocks. Exploration of seismic anisotropy origin. 
  
  
• Determination of residual stresses and microdeformations in industrial products and modern constructional materials, induced by various technological processes (metallic and thermic treatment, welding, etc.). 
  
  
• Determination of the relationship between the microstructure and thermomechanical properties of prospective functional and constructional materials (steels, alloys, composites, metalloceramics, etc.). 
  
  
• Elaboration of 3D models of internal arrangement of cultural and natural heritage objects, industrial materials and products using neutron tomography method. 
  
  
• Clarification of radiation damage mechanisms of solid-state materials, obtaining of long-life operating data on radiation resistance of materials. 

• Improvement of technical parameters and extension of experimental capabilities of the new DN-6 diffractometer for studies of microsamples (replacement of the tail part of the neutron guide, development of high-pressure cells and infrastructure). 
  
  
• Improvement of technical parameters and extension of experimental capabilities of the multifunctional reflectometer GRAINS (installation of polarizing system, development and fabrication of electrochemical and liquid-containing cells for experiments). 
  
  
• Modernization of available IBR-2 fasiliry spectrometers (HRFD, RTD, DN-12, YuMO, FSD, REFLEX, REMUR, NERA, SKAT, EPSILON, DIN-2PI) aimed at improving their instrumental parameters (neutron counting rate, background conditions, and extension of experimental opportunities). 
  
  
• Creation of test configuration of small-angle spin-echo spectrometer on IBR-2 reactor beamline 9. 
  
  
• Development of the concept of modernization or reconstruction of the inelastic neutron scattering spectrometer NERA and start of its realization. 
  
  
• Improvement of technical parameters of the neutron radiography and tomography spectrometer on IBR-2 beamline 14 (spatial resolution, radiation stability of detector system). 
  
  
• Adaptation of the correlation spectrometer FSS on IBR-2 reactor beamline 13 and improvement of its technical parameters. Further development of the correlation RTOF-method. 
  
  
• Development and fabrication of elements of basic configuration of the small-angle scattering and imaging spectrometer (neutron beam forming system, biological shielding). 
  
  
• Development and testing of neutron scattering methods for condensed matter research including spin-echo, neutron standing waves, isotope neutron reflectometry, neutron magnetic resonance, radiography, tomography, etc. 
  
  
• Development of neutron scattering methods for in-operando monitoring and studies of electrochemical materials and interfaces.