Multi-modal X-ray microscopy for chemical analysis

The rapid developments in X-ray instrumentation and the associated analytical methods have demonstrated a tremendous impact on a wide range of fundamental and applied sciences. In these experiments, X-rays interact with the matter in different ways and, thus, carry a variety of information regarding the sample’s physical and chemical properties. Therefore, a multi-modal experimental approach is powerful and broadly adopted. In particular, due to the structural complexity and chemical heterogeneity of real-world samples, a multi-modal X-ray imaging method is emerging as a powerful and versatile tool. This article reviews the state-of-the-art developments in this domain by discussing several high-profile case studies in the fields of material-, chemical- and bio-research. We highlight that the integration of selected imaging modalities is driven by and is optimized for the needs of the respective scientific case. Finally, we provide our perspectives on the future developments and applications of multi-modal X-ray microscopy for chemical analysis. •X-rays interact with matter in different ways and carry various structural and chemical information of the sample.•X-ray microscopy can be executed in different modalities that demonstrate complementary contrast mechanisms.•Integration of multi-modal X-ray microscopy demonstrates tremendous impact in a range of scientific case studies.•Future opportunities and challenges for X-ray multimodal microscopy were discussed.