IMR: Acquisition of a 500 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer

阿克伦大学聚合物科学系将获得一台500 MHz核磁共振（NMR）光谱仪。该设备将使研究人员能够开展以下研究：1)树状大分子的研究及其在电子器件、纳米器件和光合模拟物开发中的应用；2)聚合物刷及纳米复合材料的合成与应用；3)液晶聚合物和均聚轮烷的研究；4)组成和长度分布可控的线性、星形支化聚合物和共聚物的合成与表征；5)通过催化剂设计和工艺优化，开发性能可控的新型聚烯烃基弹性体和热塑性弹性体；6)线性和支链聚合物共混物的物理化学研究以及纠缠聚合物材料的热力学研究；7)生物相容性聚合物和生物医学器件的开发与应用；8)液晶聚合物及共聚物流变学研究；9)高科技涂料及涂料化学优化；10)核磁共振方法在上述研究领域的应用发展。核磁共振波谱是高分子科学家用于阐明大分子微观结构的最有力的工具之一。它用于识别未知物质，表征大分子内磁性活性核的特定排列，以及研究溶液中大分子之间相互作用的动力学。获得最先进的核磁共振光谱仪对从事前沿研究的聚合物科学家至关重要。这些核磁共振研究的结果将对材料科学（包括纳米技术）和大分子科学产生影响。阿克伦大学聚合物科学系获得了美国国家科学基金会材料研究仪器项目的资助，将获得一台核磁共振（NMR）光谱仪。该仪器具有分析溶液中新材料及其组成模块的化学成分的能力。从分析中获得的数据包括(1)与组成被检查材料的原子的数量和类型有关的信息；(2)每种原子类型附近的环境，最终可以确定溶液中的分子结构。因此，该技术补充了仅限于分析固态结构的其他确定方法。该仪器的其他功能包括能够根据分子在溶液中的随机运动速率获得与分子大小有关的信息，并研究相同（或不同）分子的不同部分在溶液中相互作用的方式。该仪器将有助于分析和优化在许多不断发展的研究和工业部门中有用的新材料，包括聚合物、涂料、卫生保健、消费品和电子领域。

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.