Almelo, the Netherlands

PANalytical has today confirmed that its parent company Spectris plc has acquired Pixirad Srl., an Italian technology company that develops and distributes high performance X-ray detectors. The business will be integrated into PANalytical within Spectris’ Materials Analysis division. Pixirad was established in 2012 under the spin-off programme of the Instituto Nationale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN). The detector know-how was originally developed through research into advanced particle physics and space research technologies and has been further improved by Pixirad for use with high energetic X-rays.

PANalytical sells the Pixirad detectors as a top-of-the-range option for its Empyrean X-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument, used for various materials analysis applications. An example of the exciting applications for the Pixirad detector-enabled Empyrean is the study of the characteristics of Li-ion batteries as they are run through repeated charge-discharge cycles. Demand for Li-ion batteries and the applications they are used in are growing significantly. The added insight brought from the Empyrean instrument helps developers and manufacturers understand the causes of performance reduction thereby demonstrating how technological advances originating from fundamental research in the field of nuclear physics can be made relevant for solving societal problems.

The combination of Pixirad’s know-how with PANalytical’s expertise in solutions utilising advanced X-ray detectors will result in rapid expansion of the range applications addressed by existing and future instruments.

Spectris is a well-respected and long-established supplier of productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls. Headquartered and listed in the UK, Spectris employs around 8,900 people in more than 30 countries.