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About us |
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Nanolab is the electron microscopy laboratory of the University of Pannonia (UP). We study the structures, compositions, and morphologies of solid materials, from atomic resolution to the micrometer scale, using a wide variety of electron microscopy techniques. Nanolab is part of UP's Research Institute of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering. Nanolab staff belong to various organizational units but are all members of the Environmental Mineralogy Research Group. In addition to pursuing our own research projects, our facility provides service to both internal (UP) and external users. If you wish to use the services of Nanolab, please fill in this form. |
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| News | ||
| Two students from Nanolab graduate (July 2021) | ||
| Congratulations to Anett Lázár (MSc, chemistry, right in the picture) and Regina Kövér (BSc, chemistry, pictured on left) on receiving their degrees! Anett synthesized and studied transformations of a hydrated calcium carbonate mineral, ikaite (under supervision by Péter Németh), while Regina studied composition, structure and environmental signature in fish otoliths (supervised by Zsombor Molnár and Mihály Pósfai). Both produced excellent theses and won awards in student competition. Good luck in your future research work. |  |
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Magnetite mesocrystals and a new crystal growth mechanism
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| With contribution from Nanolab (electron tomographic reconstruction of 3D nanomorphologies), a new paper by Lucas Kuhrts et al.: "Wettability of magnetite nanoparticles guides growth from stabilized amorphous ferrihydrite" was published in JACS. In a magnetite synthesis procedure mimicking biomineralization, an amorphous iron oxide precursor is first stabilized by polyarginine. When crystalline magnetite nuclei form, they are wetted by the still present amorphous material, making the crystals grow. Since the wetting (the contact angle) is pH-dependent, by varying the pH either simple single crystals or cauliflower-looking mesocrystals are produced. While these results explain the formation of the strange magnetite mesocrystals, they also provide a new tool for controlling crystal growth from solution. |  |
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| Smectite clays affect carbonate precipitation and aging | ||
| An important new paper by the EnvMin Research Group has been published. Zsombor Molnár et al. (EPSL) experimentally studied calcium (magnesium) carbonate precipitation in the presence of clay minerals. Smectite accelerates calcite formation, and when a Mg-bearing solution is aged in its presence, protodolomite forms. Interactions between smectite and carbonates may be important in a number of environments, including lakes, oceans, soil and sediments. |  |
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| New HRTEM paper on beam-sensitive kaolinite | ||
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With the contributions of members of the EnvMin Research Group, a study on the structure and morphology of kaolinite nanoscrolls has been published (Makó et al., Appl. Clay Sci.). We are proud of this paper because it is the first from Nanolab using some not-so-conventional TEM techniques: low-dose imaging and electron crystallographic image processing, in order to obtain fine structural details from this extremely beam-sensitive material. |
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| Six-legged visitors | ||
| In general, we are happy to host visitors but we had some of the unpleasant types recently: stink bugs in winter and ants in summer. However, one morning a beautiful stag-beetle welcomed us on the wall, and today a large mantis paid a visit. |  |
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| Three students from Nanolab graduate, congratulations! (June 2020) |
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Three theses prepared by contributions from Nanolab were defended, all receiving "excellent" grade: Winfred Nyokabi (env. sci. MSc): Potential disolution of calcium carbonate shells in a freshwater environment; Faizan Ahmad (env. sci. MSc): Properties and possible sources of magnetic nanoparticles in the urban atmosphere; Bálint Tóth (chemistry BSc): Characterization of individual aerosol particles generated by household waste burning. Congratulations to our fresh degree-holders, their thesis supervisors and all members of the group who contributed. We wish Winfred, Faizan and Bálint well in their future endeavors. (From left to right in the group photo: Zsombor Molnár, Kornél Rácz, Winfred Nyokabi, Faizan Ahmad, Ilona Nyirő-Kósa, Mihály Pósfai, Péter Pekker; in separate photo: Bálint Tóth; among the supervisors-contributors, missing from the photo is Csilla Balogh, Balaton Limnological Institute, Tihany) |
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| Cave bacteria making carbonates - paper using Nanolab results published in Sci. Rep. (May 2020) | ||
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Bacteria cultivated from Baradla Cave are capable of stabilizing amorphous carbonate at room temperature, and thus provide an opportunity for an analysis of this peculiar carbonate form and for a better understanding of carbonate formation. Amorphous carbonate may be common in temperate caves and its occurrence is directly linked to bacterial activity. This material presumably influences the geochemical signal recorded in cave sediments and thus the conclusions of past environmental and climate changes. The results by Nóra Enyedi, Péter Németh and coworkers rely heavily on data obtained using the Talos in Nanolab. |
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Nanolab closed for visitors because of the coronavirus situation (March-April 2020) |
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From March 12 until further notice the Nanolab is closed for external users. We continue to do measurements; however, since only one staff member is allowed in the lab at any time, our capacity is reduced.
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| Guest from Australia (January 2020) | ||
| Professor Silvia Frisia from the University of Newcastle spends some time in Nanolab. Dolomite microstructures, cave carbonates and contemporary stromatolites are on the plate. |  |
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| Summer internship of three students, launching new projects in biomineralization and atmospheric aerosol science, our research portfolio gradually widens. |  |
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| Guest from Potsdam |  |
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| Lucas Kuhrts PhD student spends two weeks here to get trained in HAADF electron tomography. | ||
| Nanolab inauguration and electron microscopy mini-conference - October 2, 2018 |  |
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| Official opening of Nanolab. In the afternoon famous electron microscopists gave lectures: Peter Buseck, Rafal Dunin-Borkowski, Aleksander Recnik, Béla Pécz and Péter Németh. | ||
| A bunch of electron microscopists who - at some point in their career - have been associated with Peter Buseck's group at Arizona State University (from left to right: István Dódony, Michael Czank, Peter Buseck, Mihály Pósfai, Péter Németh, Rafal Dunin-Borkowski). |  |
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Nano-picnic, Sept 2018
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| Before the official inauguration, the staff of the University of Pannonia was given a tour of the new lab - along with a picnic including beer and some food. | ||
| User training started |  |
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| All through the summer several 3-day training sessions were held for prospective new users - we hope there will be many of them. | ||
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The Talos arrived! |
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The Talos TEM arrived! There was some panic (apparently, the doorstep was a bit too high), but the instrument is now in its place in the brand new Nanolab building, and awaiting installation. |
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| Apreo SEM is working - December 2017 | ||
| The Apreo SEM produced the first images, and the EDAX energy-dispersive system (EDS) and the electron beackscattered diffraction (EBSD) detector also arrived. |  |
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| Ion millling machine - November 2017 | ||
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We have received the ion milling machine. Temporarily it will be placed in building C but its final place will be in the new TEM building. |
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| Progress in Nanolab construction - Nov 2017 | ||
| The walls of the new TEM building are standing, except for the microscope room – the 50-ton concrete slab is done, this will ensure vibration-free operating conditions. |   |
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| The SEM is here - November 2017 | ||
| The Apreo FEG-SEM arrived! The microscope was successfully transported up to the 3rd floor in building C, to the Institute of Materials Engineering. Installation will take about 3 to 4 weeks. |  |
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