Examples of our research - click on images for details

              


Contact Info

Adam P. Hitchcock

Chemistry & ChemBio
B.I.M.R
McMaster University
Hamilton, ON
Canada L8S 4M1
V: +1 905 525-9140
    x24749
F: +1 905 521-2773
E: aph@mcmaster.ca
U: unicorn.mcmaster.ca
__________

Home
Research
Group
Opportunities
Publications
Links
_________

  

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

Oct 2023 C. Zhang,  H. Eraky, S. Tan,  A.P. Hitchcock and D. Higgins  Simultaneously Monitoring Chemical and Morphological Changes in
                 Copper CO2 Reduction Electrocatalysts by In-situ Scanning Transmission Soft X-ray Microscopy
, ACS Nano, in press
Sep 2023  C. Zhang, H. Eraky,  N. Mille, S. Stanescu, S. Swaraj, R. Belkhou, D. Higgins and A.P. Hitchcock, Copper CO2-Reduction
                 Electrocatalysts studied by In-situ Soft X-ray Spectro-Ptychography,
Cell Physical Sciences 4 (2023) 101665 
doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101665
 
Jul 2023 J. Vijayakumar, et al. Soft X-ray spectro-ptychography of boron nitride nanobamboos, carbon nanotubes and permalloy nanorods,
               J. Synchrotron Radiation, 30 (2023) 746
.   doi10.1107/S1600577523003399
Jun 2023 A.P. Hitchcok Analysis of X-ray Images and Spectra (aXis2000): a toolkit for the analysis of X-ray spectromicroscopy data,
                J. Electron Spectrosc., 266 (2023) 147360 doi.org/10.1016/j.elspec.2023.14736


LATEST VERSION of aXis2000 - 02 Apr 2023               LATEST VERSION of soft X-ray Microscopy Bibliography - 16 Dec 2022

The Hitchcock group develops new instruments, methods and applications of inner shell excitation spectroscopies and microscopies for analysis of advanced materials. We are particularly active in the application of X-ray microscopy to energy materials [PEM fuel cells, CO2 reduction catalysts, supercapacitors], polymers, nanostructures, biomaterials, magnetotactic bacteria, environmental studies. A focus at present is in situ and operando methods, such as in situ flow electrochemistry, and tge investigation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell electrodes under realistic (T,RH. We also use electron impact and synchrotron methods to advance our understanding ot the fundamentals of Inner shell excitation spectroscopy of gases, surfaces, solids and liquids.

A common theme of all projects is the development of new experimental techniques based on electron impact and X-ray absorption phenomena, and optimization of their application to a wide variety of chemical, physical and materials problems. Collaborations with researchers in industry, government, and other universities play a large role in our approach to promote interest in, and practical uses for, inner-shell spectroscopies. Typically, these collaborations combine the group's expertise in X-ray and electron impact spectroscopic analysis with chemical, materials or physicsl problems motivated by the collaborating group.

Our group has helped develop the most advanced analytical soft X-ray microscope in the world (a scanning transmission X-ray microscope at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, and lead the mplementation of STXMs at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon). Over the past 5 years, in collaboration with instrument developers and scientists at the CLS, we have helped develop a new cryo-STXM with capabilities for cryo-spectro-tomography. We are helping to develop analysis software and applications of soft X-ray ptychography including the first demonstration of ptychography at the C 1s edge.

The CLS soft X-ray spectroscopy beamline (SM) features two scanning transmission X-ray microscopes (STXM) and an X-ray photoemission electron microscope (X-PEEM) on separate branch lines of a high performance plane grating monochromator beamline, illuminated by an elliptically polarized undulator. In October 2022, a new monochomator was installed, providing enhanced performance over the full 130 -3000 eV range, with a 10-fold improvement abouve 2000 eV, due to introduction of a wide-range, multilayer coating.

Please explore the pages of this web site. It contains highlights of our research, information about group members, opportunities for research positions, a list our publications (with links to pdfs), and links to tools we provide to others - aXis2000, BAN, the Core Excitation Bibiography and Database (~600 spectra of ~400 gas phase compounds!!), and a X-ray microscopy bibliography as well as links to related sites.

Enjoy your visit !

 

© 2023 A.P. Hitchcock / McMaster University - All Rights Reserved
web page design by Christopher Amis (2002). Last updated on 10 Nov 2023
(aph)