The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is celebrating the launch of its brand new Electron Microscopy Facility.

Electron microscopy is a vital area of research that ANSTO uses to support to the work of the OPAL reactor, but it has also contributed to the Nuclear Medicine Project and a wide array of ANSTO’s cutting edge nuclear science and technology activities.

These efforts will be greatly enhanced by the $6 million purpose-built state-of-the-art facility.

The building will enable ANSTO to conduct world class nuclear materials and radiation damage research, and advance ANSTO’s research into the behaviour of materials in extreme environments.

These environments include high temperature, stress and radiation conditions in advanced power generation systems and even radioactive waste systems.

Electron microscopes are highly sensitive instruments whose performance can be compromised by factors such as electromagnetic fields, acoustic and mechanical vibrations, airflow, excessive dust and temperature variations

To counter that, the building uses advanced architecture and engineering to mitigate the external influences that can hamper the performance of the electron microscopes.

It is expected to achieve a 10 fold reduction in electromagnetic and mechanical vibrations.

More information on ANSTO and its electron microscopes are available here.