The Faculty of Science at Charles University proudly celebrated the opening of a state-of-the-art AFM/SEM laboratory. The event, held as part of the Techscale project, was attended by a number of distinguished guests who underscored the importance of local and international partnerships in research and innovation. These new advances will reinforce the well- established Czech-British scientific collaboration, among others.
New Possibilities Opened by the Growth of Infrastructure
In the light of ongoing challenges such as climate change, energy crises, and the quest to enhance quality of life, Techscale endeavours to propose solutions. Techscale is a consortium of excellent Czech research centers led by Prof. Michal Otyepka from CATRIN UP, who serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project. Prof. Jiří Čejka, co-PI and the project coordinator at our Faculty, underlined the importance of collaboration in advanced research: “Our objective is to develop novel multifunctional single-atom catalysts enabling diverse reactions to run in parallel on one carrier. Through the collaborative efforts of our esteemed partners from leading Czech and international institutions, we aspire to yield a plethora of groundbreaking results.”
The Techscale mission is to usher in a new era of nanomaterials designed to address critical needs in energy, catalysis, sensing, as well as theranostics. On top of this, the Techscale project is committed to conducting comprehensive social impact assessments and fostering public acceptance of these cutting-edge technologies. This new state-of-the-art microscope will push our research to a new level, opening novel possibilities in our material research.
Strengthening Czech-British Collaboration
Among the notable attendees were British Ambassador His Excellency Matt Field OBE, Dr. Otakar Fojt MBE (Senior Science & Innovation Adviser, UK Science & Innovation Network at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), Pavel Doleček (Deputy Minister for Science, Research and Innovation), and Prof. Russell Morris from the University of St Andrews—a key foreign researcher at the CUCAM Centre (Centre of Excellence focused on research in advanced materials. It has been established under the Chemistry Section at the Faculty of Science based on support from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports). Their presence highlighted the shared commitment to strengthening scientific ties between the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.
Moreover, representatives of the manufacturers of the microscopes were there to discuss the possibilities of use and application of the machines in various fields of material chemistry. Rastislav Ošťádal (representative of Thermo Fisher Scientific) and David Novák (Chief Operating Officer at NenoVision) presented the technology’s capabilities and potential impact on research and development.
Czech science has long enjoyed an excellent reputation in Britain, with over 2,000 joint research publications by Czech and British scientists produced every year. This new laboratory will serve as a platform for even greater collaboration, enabling groundbreaking research that addresses global challenges.
Technology That Makes the Difference
The lab features cutting-edge technology, including a new microscope capable of magnifying objects down to 1 nanometer. "This high-quality equipment will facilitate advanced research into materials, sensors, and batteries, contributing to innovations for a more sustainable world, " says Dr. Michal Mazur, head of the electron microscopy laboratory.
In addition to standard applications, the new facility offers advanced FIB-SEM (Focused Ion Beam - Scanning Electron Microscopy, Scios 2 Microscope produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific) and in-situ AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy, Litescope Microscope manufactured by NenoVision) capabilities. These techniques open unprecedented possibilities in material science, allowing for high-resolution imaging, precise material modification, and real-time monitoring of processes at the nanoscale. Researchers can now investigate the structure and properties of advanced materials in greater detail, optimize their performance for energy storage, catalysis, and sensing applications, and explore new approaches for designing sustainable technologies.
The opening of this laboratory marks a significant step forward in fostering international scientific partnerships and enhancing the Faculty of Science’s research capabilities. The facility will not only benefit current projects but also inspire future collaborations between Czech and British scientists in areas of shared interest.
Project TECHSCALE (No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004587) is financed by the MEYS OP JAC Excellent research programme, supported by ERDF/ESF.
