Frontiers in Structural and Functional Characterization of Materials and Products

The PhD course on electron diffraction aims to provide students with both theoretical and practical skills for the use of electron diffraction in materials characterization.
The course is designed to cover, on the one hand, the theoretical foundations of electron diffraction, and on the other, the full sequence of steps from data collection to data analysis and structural solution using 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) data.
In-situ TEM techniques will also be introduced to monitor structural transformations in real time, together with the most advanced methodologies that enable unique structural insights such as hydrogen detection, charge density analysis, and absolute structure determination. The course aims to develop the ability to design experiments, analyze complex data, and integrate the results with other characterization techniques, allowing students to identify the research areas where this approach is most effective.
Finally, students will gain familiarity with the main experimental challenges, including sample stability, electron beam management, and the application of the technique to different classes of materials, ranging from supported catalysts to porous materials, and extending to the study of APIs and polymorphs in the pharmaceutical field. Students will also be introduced to the use of major 3D ED data analysis software, with practical sessions based on real datasets collected on challenging samples.