MRI: Acquisition of a 400 MHz Solid State NMR Spectrometer

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Funds obtained from this proposal will be used to acquire a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with the necessary accessories for conducting state-of-the-art solid state NMR materials characterization experiments. The accessories will include a double-resonance, magic angle spinning (MAS) probe, which is essential for many solid state NMR spectroscopic applications, as well as a single-resonance CRAMPS (Combined Rotation and Multiple Pulse Sequence) probe for solid state NMR spectroscopy of the 1H nucleus. This requested instrumentation will provide greatly improved solid state NMR spectroscopic capabilities for studying a wide range samples, hence advancing the interdisciplinary materials research being conducted in a broad range of departments at Northwestern University (NU). Research programs which would immediately benefit from incisive condensed matter NMR characterization capabilities include those studying novel transition metal reagents for organic synthesis, novel opto-electronically active solids for optical communications, data storage, and organic transistors, metal-organic frameworks for efficient energy storage and catalysis, silicon-based cage structures and nanocapsules having unusual architectures, graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanorods for solid state electronics and high-strength materials, novel structural and barrier polymers, and solid state natural materials such as resins and gums from plant exudates. The more sensitive one- and two-dimensional solid state NMR spectroscopy at ambient and variable temperatures offered by this new instrument will significantly enable far more definitive structural characterization of these materials, leading to a more detailed understanding of their functionality. The ability to conduct these studies in-house with high throughput and rapid feedback will not only allow NU materials research to move forward more expeditiously, but will also provide a more complete educational experience for graduate students who will learn modern solid state NMR spectroscopic techniques in a hands-on manner while applying it to their own research. Additionally, advanced undergraduate courses in the Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering programs at NU will introduce experiments with this instrumentation. These educational benefits will spread far beyond NU as graduate and undergraduate students move on to other positions.Modern Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an extremely powerful technique for understanding the structure and function of solid materials. Funds from this proposal will be used to acquire a state-of-the-art spectrometer for use by a broad community of materials research scientists and their students at Northwestern University. Interdisciplinary research being conducted in many departments will benefit from the structural characterization capabilities offered by the proposed instrument and not currently available to us. The data from this instrument will lead to a better understanding of a wide range of solid state materials currently under study and which are important to the development of more selective, efficient, and environmentally friendly catalytic processes, new materials for energy storage, opto-electronic materials for high-speed communications, data storage, and printed transistors, and stronger, lighter weight structural materials. This requested instrument will also play a major role in educational programs for our graduate and undergraduate students.