Alexander Vogel from the NI Lab takes the Nano Imaging Lab first measurements using the new scanning A valuable partner for research electron microscope. In 2024, the Nano Imaging Lab (NI Lab) helped numerous research groups with the imaging, analysis and modification of nanoscale structures. The team provided valuable support to researchers seeking to answer questions that were not only relevant to com- panies but also led to several interesting publications. Overall, the tendency for the Nano Imaging Lab to evolve from a pure service unit into a valuable partner for research grew stronger in 2024 — as demonstrated by the greater number of scientific publications involving NI Lab staff. In collaboration with the ANAXAM Technology Transfer Cen- ter, for example, the NI Lab was able to apply its expertise relat- ing to the analysis of ceramic coatings for medical devices from a materials science perspective. This project revolved around a new ceramic coating with the three components aluminum ox- ide (Al2O3), titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). This coating was applied to a titanium alloy using a special tech- nique known as atmospheric plasma spraying. For Gulhfi AG (Wohlen, AG), an international manufacturer of surface technol- ogy, it was then important to clarify the robustness of these new coatings under loading. SNI Annual Report 2024 51