Applying for beamtime at the AS MEX1 and MEX2 beamlines
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If you answer “NO” to any of these questions; STOP. Go back and take the necessary steps to answer “YES”, otherwise your proposal is likely uncompetitive.
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Example of a basic Proposed Experiment section for a MEX-1 proposal. For more complex experiments (e.g., in-operando studies), additional detail needs to be included. Please consult with the beamline scientist team to discuss such details or questions.
Proposed experiment:
“We will measure 64 ex-situ powder pellet samples at the MEX-1 beamline, (i) 13 powder standards of Br and Zn, and (ii) 51 samples in powder form sourced from our experiments conducted at XXX University. These samples will be produced at XXX University using a variety of treatment conditions and tested at the beamline ex-situ.
Sample Preparation: We will prepare powder pellet samples at our home institution or in the synchrotron chemistry lab the days prior to our beam time. The samples will be diluted with cellulose to approximately 1000 ppm of the target element for fluorescence-mode measurements, OR to an edge step in the range of XX for transmission mode. The mixtures will be made homogeneous using a mortar and pestle, compressed into a 7 mm diameter pellet using a hand press and mounted on a MEX-1 PMMA sample holder.
Beamline Setup: Using the Si(111) monochromator in step scan, we will measure the K edges for Br and Zn calibrated with Zn metallic foil, as K edges for Br and Zn fall at 13,473.7 eV and 9,658.6 eV. The sample environment will be room temperature and under helium. Data will be collected to reach K = XXX for EXAFS with duplicate scans.”
Sample Table
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