IMR: Acquisition of a 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer

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With this award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research Program, the Department of Polymer Science at the University of Akron will acquire a 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. This equipment will enable researchers to carry out studies on:1) Dendrimer research and applications in development of electronic devices, nanoscopic devices, and photosynthetic mimics; 2) Synthesis and applications of polymer brushes and nano-composites; 3) Studies of liquid crystalline polymers and homo-poly-rotaxanes; 4) Synthesis and characterization of linear and star-branched polymers and co-polymers with controlled composition and length distributions; 5) Development of novel poly(olefin)-based elastomers and thermoplastic elastomers with controlled properties through catalyst design and process optimization; 6) Physicochemical study of blends of linear and branched polymers and thermodynamics in entangled polymeric materials; 7) Development and applications of bio-compatible polymers and biomedical devices; 8) Rheological study of liquid crystalline polymers and co-polymers; 9) Optimization of high technology coatings and coatings chemistry and; 10) NMR methods development for applications in the above research areas. NMR spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools available to polymer scientists for the elucidation of the microstructure of macromolecules. It is used to identify unknown materials, to characterize specific arrangements of magnetically active nuclei within macromolecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between macromolecules in solution. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to polymer scientists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in materials science (including nanotechnology) and macromolecular science.With this award from the National Science Foundation's Instrumentation for Materials Research Program, the Department of Polymer Science at the University of Akron will acquire a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. This instrument possesses the capability to analyze new materials and their constituent building blocks in solution with respect to chemical composition. Data gained from the analyses includes (1) information relating to the number and type of atoms that make up the material under examination and (2) the environment in the vicinity of each type of atom that ultimately allows determination of molecular structure in solution. This technique thus complements other methods of structure determination limited to analyses in the solid state. Additional features of the instrument include the ability to gain information relating to molecular size based on the rate of random movement of molecules through solution and to study the way in which different parts of the same (or different) molecules interact with each other in solution. This instrument will aid in the analysis and optimization of new materials useful in many evolving research and industrial sectors, including the polymer, coatings, health care, consumer goods and electronic areas.