News
11/05/2016
How ALBA Synchrotron Can Lead to Improve Cements, Pigments, Ceramics and Glasses
How ALBA Synchrotron Can Lead to Improve Cements, Pigments, Ceramics and Glasses
During the last industrial workshop organized by ALBA on May 6, more than 50 people from 38 different companies discovered how synchrotron light can offer unique analytical tools to investigate and improve cements, pigments, ceramics and glasses.
As pointed out during the meeting, faster experiments, greater flexibility in experimental conditions (temperature changes, gazes, etc.), very low concentration measurements or higher resolution are among the main benefits a synchrotron presents.
Researchers explained into details the various techniques available and the problems that can be solved with a synchrotron light: determination of the setting time of cement and understanding of the hydration processes involved, degradation processes of materials due to oxidation …
Two industrial ALBA users (Nubiola-Ferro Company – world leader in pigments – and X-Ray Data Services – a spin-off company specialized in the analysis of materials with synchrotron light) gave examples of investigations carried out in ALBA.
News written on the basis of the press release published by ALBA.
As pointed out during the meeting, faster experiments, greater flexibility in experimental conditions (temperature changes, gazes, etc.), very low concentration measurements or higher resolution are among the main benefits a synchrotron presents.
Researchers explained into details the various techniques available and the problems that can be solved with a synchrotron light: determination of the setting time of cement and understanding of the hydration processes involved, degradation processes of materials due to oxidation …
Two industrial ALBA users (Nubiola-Ferro Company – world leader in pigments – and X-Ray Data Services – a spin-off company specialized in the analysis of materials with synchrotron light) gave examples of investigations carried out in ALBA.
News written on the basis of the press release published by ALBA.
05/05/2016
When Fairs Lead to ALBA and Barcelona Synchrotron Park
When Fairs Lead to ALBA and Barcelona Synchrotron Park
Barcelona is one of the world’s cities where more congresses and fairs are held in: the Catalan capital is 5th in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) 2014 ranking.
Taking advantage of that situation, ACCIÓ, the Catalan agency for business competitiveness, has recently formulated a new way to promote Catalonia as a location where to set up companies and invest in: ACCIÓ offers delegates a tailor-made tour to make the Catalan innovative potential known.
During the first tour made in February with 50 people from the Mobile World Congress (basically, entrepreneurs but also representatives from various consulates and journalists from different countries), ALBA synchrotron, Barcelona Synchrotron Park (BSP), EURECAT technology center and MARENOSTRUM supercomputer were visited.
The success of this initiative led ACCIÓ to repeat the tour last week with delegates from Alimentaria, one of the most important fairs in the world in the food and beverage sector: 35 people mainly from China, Mexico and Peru paid a visit to ALBA, BSP and IRTA, the Catalan food and agriculture research and technology center based in Monells, Girona.
Visiting ALBA as part of the Alimentaria fair should not be surprising: in order to improve the manufacturing process involved, ALBA X-rays were already used for instance to investigate the crystalline structures of the so-called velvet chocolate texture obtained during the cacao cream solidification.
Next tours are planned during the forthcoming Internet of Things Solutions World Congress and Smart City Expo World Congress.
Taking advantage of that situation, ACCIÓ, the Catalan agency for business competitiveness, has recently formulated a new way to promote Catalonia as a location where to set up companies and invest in: ACCIÓ offers delegates a tailor-made tour to make the Catalan innovative potential known.
During the first tour made in February with 50 people from the Mobile World Congress (basically, entrepreneurs but also representatives from various consulates and journalists from different countries), ALBA synchrotron, Barcelona Synchrotron Park (BSP), EURECAT technology center and MARENOSTRUM supercomputer were visited.
The success of this initiative led ACCIÓ to repeat the tour last week with delegates from Alimentaria, one of the most important fairs in the world in the food and beverage sector: 35 people mainly from China, Mexico and Peru paid a visit to ALBA, BSP and IRTA, the Catalan food and agriculture research and technology center based in Monells, Girona.
Visiting ALBA as part of the Alimentaria fair should not be surprising: in order to improve the manufacturing process involved, ALBA X-rays were already used for instance to investigate the crystalline structures of the so-called velvet chocolate texture obtained during the cacao cream solidification.
Next tours are planned during the forthcoming Internet of Things Solutions World Congress and Smart City Expo World Congress.
30/04/2016
TECNIO Entities, a Label for Entrepreneurial Innovation
TECNIO Entities, a Label for Entrepreneurial Innovation
New TECNIO label was recently presented by the Catalan government. This accreditation is given to Catalan entities that develop and offer technology to companies. As a first step, 54 innovation providers are given this label that awards technology and knowledge transfer-to-the-market expertise that can help companies develop new products and services. This label remains valid until 2019 and will be extended to new entities in further steps.
TECNIO label awards universities, research centers, technology centers, technology transfer offices, engineering and technology based companies. Different entities from the UAB university Barcelona Synchrotron Park partner are among the first accredited entities.
TECNIO label aims at helping companies identify where they can find the technologies they need to carry out the development of new products and services. This initiative strives to establish technology transfer as a cornerstone for increasing the number of Catalan innovative companies and make them more competitive (according to the Catalan Innovation Barometer, 56.8% of companies with more than 9 employees are innovative).
New TECNIO entities can take advantage of this label to gain visibility, in particular from ACCIÓ, the public agency in charge of the competitiveness of Catalan companies.
TECNIO label awards universities, research centers, technology centers, technology transfer offices, engineering and technology based companies. Different entities from the UAB university Barcelona Synchrotron Park partner are among the first accredited entities.
TECNIO label aims at helping companies identify where they can find the technologies they need to carry out the development of new products and services. This initiative strives to establish technology transfer as a cornerstone for increasing the number of Catalan innovative companies and make them more competitive (according to the Catalan Innovation Barometer, 56.8% of companies with more than 9 employees are innovative).
New TECNIO entities can take advantage of this label to gain visibility, in particular from ACCIÓ, the public agency in charge of the competitiveness of Catalan companies.
22/04/2016
Barcelona Synchrotron Park Will Be at the Barcelona Innova Exhibition
Barcelona Synchrotron Park Will Be at the Barcelona Innova Exhibition
Barcelona Innova is an international exhibition on innovation, research and new technologies that has already been organized 64 times in Brussels and that will be held in Barcelona for the first time this year (May 12-14). The Barcelona Synchrotron Park will attend this exhibition with its own stand.
This 4,000 sq. m. exhibition is hoped to gather 4,200 professional visitors from 20 different countries and 300 innovation projects. This event is designed to offer all the players involved in innovation a specific space for fostering synergies between all of them. It is intended for companies, technology parks, chambers of commerce, universities, spin-off companies, entrepreneurs, inventors, technology centers…
Barcelona Innova will also offer a conference program and will award the Eureka prizes to best innovating projects selected by an international committee made up of entrepreneurs and scientists.
This 4,000 sq. m. exhibition is hoped to gather 4,200 professional visitors from 20 different countries and 300 innovation projects. This event is designed to offer all the players involved in innovation a specific space for fostering synergies between all of them. It is intended for companies, technology parks, chambers of commerce, universities, spin-off companies, entrepreneurs, inventors, technology centers…
Barcelona Innova will also offer a conference program and will award the Eureka prizes to best innovating projects selected by an international committee made up of entrepreneurs and scientists.
15/04/2016
MIRAS Beamline at ALBA: and There Was Infrared Light
MIRAS Beamline at ALBA: and There Was Infrared Light
On April 5th 2016, the 8th ALBA beamline MIRAS has started commissioning with synchrotron light. That means that in-tunnel transport mirrors have been aligned until the first focus of synchrotron light has been obtained outside the tunnel.
This is an important milestone in the construction of the beamline, which was initiated in 2014, because all the in-tunnel installed components have been validated. Full commissioning of the beamline will continue during the following months and official users are planned to arrive in autumn of this year.
MIRAS will be dedicated to infrared microspectroscopy, covering far-IR and mid-IR regions, and will be available for a wide range of scientific fields: surface and materials science, biochemistry, microanalysis, archaeology, geology, cell biology, biomedical diagnostics, environmental science, etc.
News based on the press release published by ALBA synchrotron
This is an important milestone in the construction of the beamline, which was initiated in 2014, because all the in-tunnel installed components have been validated. Full commissioning of the beamline will continue during the following months and official users are planned to arrive in autumn of this year.
MIRAS will be dedicated to infrared microspectroscopy, covering far-IR and mid-IR regions, and will be available for a wide range of scientific fields: surface and materials science, biochemistry, microanalysis, archaeology, geology, cell biology, biomedical diagnostics, environmental science, etc.
News based on the press release published by ALBA synchrotron
07/04/2016
Barcelona Synchrotron Park in the race
Barcelona Synchrotron Park in the race
On last Sunday, Uxio Abuin and Paula García Godino ran on Cerdanyola streets and cycled in the Barcelona Synchrotron Park (BSP). The result is that they are now the new duathlon Spanish champions in the male and female elite categories, respectively.
In addition to them, 1,500 other athletes coming from around Spain participated to the different competitions of the duathlon championships organized on April 2-3 by the Cerdanyola Hockey Club with support from the city council and BSP as main sponsor.
In ALBA synchrotron, accelerated electrons complete about 1 million laps per second around the building. Champions took somewhat longer to complete the competition circuit that ran through BSP but they surpassed themselves as women and men do in the innovative companies BSP gathers around ALBA.
With its bike lanes and its many paths to make a walk o run in the middle of the 200-hectares green areas, BSP also offers people a pleasant environment to carry on any physical activity. With these duathlon Spanish championships, the park aimed at making known this popular place and sharing it with high level athletes.
This event also gave a good opportunity to make BSP commitment known in the territory life: restoration of degraded soils due to past industrial activities or landfills, founding of the Ca n’Oliver museum dedicated to Iberian civilization study and popularization, archeological excavation with the Cerdanyola cultural and heritage department, improvement of the city gas and water supplies guarantees, mobility improvement, …
Congratulations to our new champions!
In addition to them, 1,500 other athletes coming from around Spain participated to the different competitions of the duathlon championships organized on April 2-3 by the Cerdanyola Hockey Club with support from the city council and BSP as main sponsor.
In ALBA synchrotron, accelerated electrons complete about 1 million laps per second around the building. Champions took somewhat longer to complete the competition circuit that ran through BSP but they surpassed themselves as women and men do in the innovative companies BSP gathers around ALBA.
With its bike lanes and its many paths to make a walk o run in the middle of the 200-hectares green areas, BSP also offers people a pleasant environment to carry on any physical activity. With these duathlon Spanish championships, the park aimed at making known this popular place and sharing it with high level athletes.
This event also gave a good opportunity to make BSP commitment known in the territory life: restoration of degraded soils due to past industrial activities or landfills, founding of the Ca n’Oliver museum dedicated to Iberian civilization study and popularization, archeological excavation with the Cerdanyola cultural and heritage department, improvement of the city gas and water supplies guarantees, mobility improvement, …
Congratulations to our new champions!