Dr Daniel N Rainer
3D electron diffraction, single-crystal structure determination, porous framework materials, electron microscopy, facility management
Profile
Dr Dan Rainer manages the 3D Electron Diffraction (3D ED) Facility at the University of Southampton, being part of the National Electron Diffraction Facility (NEDF), and is the principal operator of the instrument. He is solely responsible for maintaining and optimising the facility’s performance, providing users with complete single-crystal structure determination using 3D ED from initial sample preparation through to final structural description.
His role includes training and supporting new users while delivering high-quality data for departmental researchers, national academic projects, and international collaborations. Dan also works with commercial clients, expanding the reach of 3D ED into industrial applications. His work enables the structural analysis of challenging samples that are not accessible through conventional crystallographic techniques.
With a background in the synthesis and characterisation of porous framework materials such as zeolites and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), Dan brings expertise in electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, STEM) to complement his crystallographic focus. This combination of skills strengthens the facility’s capability to tackle complex materials, from advanced functional solids to sensitive or difficult-to-crystallise compounds, ensuring the broadest possible impact of 3D ED in both academic and industrial research.
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