As part of the Meeting of the International Group of Research Reactors (IGORR) in Japan, representatives of the FRM II visited the Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science (KURNS) at Kyoto University. The aim of the meeting was to exchange expertise on safety standards and the future of neutron research – particularly with regard to the planned construction of a new neutron source in Japan.

To speed up the process of loading samples into measuring instruments and increase flexibility, staff at FRM II are developing an industrial robotic arm that will support scientists with their experiments in the future.

Lithium-oxygen batteries could one day supersede the widely used lithium-ion batteries because, in theory, their energy density is 10 times higher. However, the technology of lithium-oxygen batteries is not yet ripe for commercial exploitation. Neutrons shed light on possible electrolytes and cathode materials.