UoAberdeen
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

CAPTURE

STORAGE

UTILISATION

TRANSPORT

ACEMAC Nano-scale (UK5.2)

Aberdeen Centre for Electron Microscopy, Analysis and Characterisation - Micro and Nano Microscopy and Analysis Facility

Aberdeen Centre for Electron Microscopy, Analysis and Characterisation (ACEMAC) is based around a Carl Zeiss GeminiSEM 300 – high resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) with SE (secondary electron), BSE (backscattered electron) and CL (cathodoluminescence) detectors.

The GeminiSEM 300 can be operated in both high vacuum and variable pressure modes, enabling imaging of a wide variety of sample types, from steel to rocks to biological cells. The SEM is equipped with Oxford Instruments EDS (AZtec energy) and EBSD (AZtecHKL) analytical systems. Mineral, chemical, and EBSD mapping is routine. Analysis can be integrated with onsite CT analysis of rock cores. The facility is supported by a full time highly experienced technician. www.abdn.ac.uk/acemac

State of the Art, uniqueness & specific advantages

ACEMAC provides world class microscopy facilities for a range of material from rock to biological samples.

Scientific Environment

The facility is based on the main Aberdeen University campus and use can be integrated with onsite CT analysis of rock cores (see associated facility bid) and our rock physics and geomechanics lab

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/geosciences/departments/geology/petrophysics-537.php

Operating by

University of Aberdeen

University of Aberdeen
United Kingdom
CAPTURE technologies:
any micro/nano scale analysis of materials
STORAGE technologies:
Migration, Caprock/well integrity, Leakage mitigation/remediation, Reactivity/mineralisation, Leakage, Static modelling, Dynamic modelling, any micro/nano scale analysis of materials
UTILISATION technologies:
CO2 Conversion to Solid Carbonates, Smart integrations with carbon capture and re-use into valuable products, any micro/nano scale analysis of materials
TRANSPORT technologies:
Material testing, CO2 pipeline transport and integrity, any micro/nano scale analysis of materials
Research Fields:
Chemistry/Geochemistry, Microbiology, Ecosystem, Geology/Geophysics, Mechanics/Geomechanics, Material science, Modelling, Physical processes, Engineering
Facility's fact sheet

Location & Contacts

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Contacts
RICC Contacts - Secondary contact
Simon Gregory

Facility Availability

Day
Unit of access (UA)
Day
Availability per year (in UA)
90 days
Duration of a typical access (average) and number of external users expected for that access
1-5 days
Average number of external users expected for typical access
n/a

Quality Control / Quality Assurance (QA)

Activities / tests / data are
State of Quality: The facility is run by a trained technician. A set of global standards are used to test and verify results. The facility is serviced annually by Oxford Instruments.

Operational or other constraints

Specific risks:
n/a
Legal issues
n/a

CCUS Projects

EU-Funded CCUS Projects
ERA-NET ACT
ACORN
Other CCUS Projects
UKCCSRC
Natural Analogues for CO2 storage: the Bongwana CO2 seep.
RCUK
Including petrophysics, elemental and crystallographic analysis.

Selected Publications

International journal of greenhouse gas control, 61, pp.49-60. (2017)
The physical characteristics of a CO2 seeping fault: The implications of fracture permeability for carbon capture and storage integrity.
Bond, C.E., Kremer, Y., Johnson, G., Hicks, N., Lister, R., Jones, D.G., Haszeldine, R.S., Saunders, I., Gilfillan, S.M., Shipton, Z.K. and Pearce, J.
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. (2018)
A natural example of permeability reduction from porosity occlusion due to CO2-rock interaction: implications for carbon capture and storage.
Bond, C.E., Johnson, G., Hicks, N., Kremer, Y., Lister, R., Jones, D. and Gilfillan, S.
Geobiology, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 540-555 (2018)
A microbial role in the construction of Mono Lake carbonate chimneys?
Brasier, A., Wacey, D., Rogerson, M., Guagliardo, P., Saunders, M., Kellner, S., Mercedes-Martín, R., Prior, T., Taylor, C., Matthews, A. & Reijmer, J.
Geology, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 215-218. (2019)
Petrological evidence supports the death mask model for the preservation of Ediacaran soft-bodied organisms in South Australia.
Liu, AG., McMahon, S., Matthews, JJ., Still, JW. & Brasier, AT.
Marine and Petroleum Geology, 129, p.105071 (2021)
Observations of reservoir quality alteration in proximity to igneous intrusions for two distinct sandstones in Scotland.
Duffy, M., Farrell, N., Raeside, R., Muirhead, D., Healy, D., Brasier, A. and Schofield, N.