A synchrotron facility opens up areas of problem solving that have never been accessible before. It can be used to extend the capability of existing investigation techniques but, more importantly, totally new methods of study are possible.

Cetec is using the high spectral intensity emitted by the synchrotron to investigate industrial problems such as:

• Poor Adhesion in metal and polymer coated plastics;

• Early failure of metals by fine pitting corrosion and

• Duty failure of carbon fibre-epoxy composites.

To facilitate international access and expertise, Cetec has established a base in the United Kingdom.  We would welcome further enquires on likely applications from Australia or overseas.

Listed below are some published applications by industry category

The biological functions of an organism are governed by large and complex molecules, like sugars, starches, vitamins, proteins, enzymes or viruses. Synchrotron light is increasingly used to develop new products and to investigate processes.

Chemistry relates to atomic and molecular transformations occurring when different substances are brought in contact. Now, reactions can be studied dynamically by synchrotron techniques in order to follow a chemical reaction as it happens to yield new insight in the kinetics of chemical reactions, directly from the reaction zone and often under extreme conditions.

The synchrotron allows for studies of extremely small samples or very low levels of contaminants even for poorly interacting compounds in a time-resolved manner for understanding of, for example, polymerisation processes, the hydration process of Portland cements, environmental depositions, air pollutant behaviour and agricultural soil uptakes.

Using X-ray microscopy allows for the possibility to create highly contrasted transmission-mode pictures of "thick" samples, such as entire biological cells in a water environment. This is of great benefit in fields such as colloid research or earth sciences, where the sample preparation necessary for other methods of high-resolution microscopy itself would inflict significant alterations in the structures to be investigated.

The properties of materials require knowledge of their microscopic structure. Synchrotron radiation facilities allows new lower limits to determine the atomic structure of natural and artificial polymers, mechanical tension leading to the formation of microfractures, the morphology of material ageing and fatigue.

Element-selective studies of magnetic structures can be carried out with an X-ray microscope by exploiting circular-magnetic X-ray dichroism - magnetic absorption.  These studies help explain the micro-magnetism in quite different magnetic materials.  Magnetic nanostructures are becoming increasingly important for data storage techniques.

Basic and applied research are combined to develop the materials and technologies of the future and for resolution of forensic problems.

The outer of bulk materials, i.e. the surface, is decisive for the appearance of an object. Surfaces and interfaces play an equally important role in science. The surface of a solid differs considerably from the interior in terms of physics. Surface properties can be substantially different from the bulk material properties and play an important part in cohesion, adhesion, catalysis, or corrosion, surfaces.

Spectacular results have been obtained in medical imaging. The small spot size of the X-ray beam allows Computed Micro-Tomography (CMT) to be carried out, yielding a 3-dimensional reconstruction of human tissues with spatial resolution in the micron range (1millionth of a metre). The technique can also be used to image the diminution of bone structure with ageing, while an in-line holography set up allowed the monitoring of a coronary artery with plaque and thrombosis.

In vitro studies can also be performed as can X-ray based clinical research in the fields of medical imaging and radiation therapy.

As the experimental analysis of the intrinsic properties of matter is the key to the advancement of technology, the materials of the future are the subject of fundamental research today.

For example, simulating the conditions of ore formation under high pressures and at high temperatures, is of particular interest to geophysicists and geochemists.

As a second example, the difference of X-ray diffraction patterns of block co-polymers taken at rest and under flow has yielded new insights into the rheology of polymers, explaining the viscosity change of a particle suspension as function of flow conditions.

Cetec is an advanced scientific consultancy for industrial risk assessment and management. The core of the services revolve around high quality, relevant data acquisition by appropriate techniques within or outside our laboratories. Thirty years of experience has taught us that:

• no one technique can solve all technological problems;

• the most advance techniques will mostly yield the greatest insight;

• the consultant must be intimately familiar and involved with the techniques used and with the specialist operators;

• the consultant, in most cases, must attend the site of the problem for it to be solved;

• The solution must be relevant and interpretable to the client and

• The solution must be timely and financially effective.