Canadian Neutron Beam Centre

Research facility highlights

The Canadian Neutron Beam Centre (CNBC) is a unique and versatile element of Canada's research infrastructure. The CNBC enables academia, government and industry to use neutron beams as tools for world-class materials research, providing new understanding of materials and improving products for businesses. Each year, over 200 scientists, engineers, and students participate in research that depends on access to the CNBC's six neutron beamlines.

Users of the CNBC study many kinds of materials that underlie advances in scientific, industrial and medical fields, and which benefit all Canadians. Examples include:

• development of light metals to reduce vehicle emissions for internal combustion engines,
• analysis of nuclear power plant components to improve reliability and safety,
• measurement of the hydrogen storage capacity of materials to support a shift to hydrogen-powered transport,
• development of targeted nanoparticles to enhance drug treatments, and
• fundamental studies of quantum materials to gain knowledge needed to develop room-temperature superconductors, which will have disruptive impacts in processors in computers and electronic devices as well as in energy conservation and medical diagnostics.

The CNBC is located at Chalk River Laboratories, where AECL owns and operates the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor as the source of neutrons for the CNBC. The NRU is a large piece of Canadian science infrastructure and is the source of neutrons for CNBC. The CNBC thereby fulfills one of the NRU’s three purposes: to conduct materials research using neutron beams.

What we offer

We offer access to world-class neutron beamlines and expertise. We offer assistance at all stages of a neutron beam experiment - from conceptual design to publication of results - so that researchers can use the facility productively, even without prior experience in applying neutron beams.

If you conduct experimental research on materials, you probably employ multiple probes to learn about your material, such as beams of visible light, x-rays or electrons. Probing your material with neutrons as well can generate knowledge that cannot be obtained from these complementary techniques.

Neutron beams can be used to examine a wide range of materials including, but not limited to, metals, alloys, minerals, ceramics, polymers, nano-structures, bio-materials, drugs, and foods. You can study these in various forms, such as crystals, powders, surfaces, composites, liquids, colloids and gels.

To determine whether you can employ neutron beams to advance your research program, please contact us using the contact information at the right of this page. The following archived pages also contain more information:

• ARCHIVED – Specific capabilities offered to industry
• ARCHIVED – Examples of industrial research projects
• ARCHIVED – How a neutron beam facility works
• ARCHIVED – Neutrons and their properties
• ARCHIVED – The neutron beam lines and ancillary equipment (technical information)
• ARCHIVED – Research subject areas (technical information)

Why work with us

Improved safety and reliability, reduced costs, or opening of markets are a few of the benefits industrial clients have gained from employing neutron beams as part of their research programs. For example, safety and reliability can be enhanced when engineers know the amount of stress - e.g. in pipes, or car and airplane parts - that is created by manufacturing processes. Direct stress measurement deep inside metallic industrial components is uniquely suited to neutron beams.

The CNBC is the only facility within Canada where you can employ neutron beams for world-class research on materials. The CNBC is one of 20 such facilities around the world, each of which has its own strengths. At the CNBC, you can work with world-leading expertise and facilities for analyzing structural chemistry of materials, magnetism in quantum materials, and stress and texture in engineering materials. If you wish to measure residual stress, you will work with our experts who helped to develop the current ISO standard for measurements of residual stress using neutron diffraction.

How to work with us

If you haven't used neutron beams before, we strongly encourage you to contact us before applying. We will put you in touch with one of our experts to discuss your potential research project. Our experts will help you determine whether neutron beams can provide the knowledge you need and if so, assist you with the application process.

Different application procedures apply depending on whether you plan to publish the results of your research in the public domain or to protect your results as your intellectual property.