Dynamic Nuclear Polarization as a Novel Tool for the Characterization of Surfaces and Interfaces of Catalysts and Hybrid Materials

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Modern solid materials like catalysts and hybrid materials often exhibit complex hierarchical structures on nano- and mesoscopic length scales. Their properties and functions are thus a consequence of processes and interactions on surfaces and at interfaces. Until now material scientists rely on a purely explorative ap-proach for optimizing targeted material properties. A tailored design will be possible only based on a detailed knowledge about the atomistic processes, the self organisation mechanism and dominating interactions on surfaces and at interfaces. DNP NMR spectroscopy poses a unique way to address such questions. Due to the DNP enhancement surface and interface areas down to a few m2/g can be investigated and even more important surface and interface near chemical species can be selected and thus be separated from the unwanted bulk signals. Within the proposed project our consortium plans to make progress on this crucial aspect of modern material science by applying solid-state DNP NMR spectroscopy to heterogeneous catalysts and inorganic-organic hybrid materials. Furthermore, we aim at making DNP techniques more efficient by developing new radical systems, improved polarisation transfer schemes, especially for quadrupolar nuclei, and a low-temperature wide-line probe. For this we have formed a consortium combining the complementary expertise of three dif-ferent areas, namely synthetic organic chemistry, EPR and NMR spectroscopy of solids. The consortium provides knowledge on developing instrumentation for EPR and NMR equipment and is experienced with EPR and NMR spectroscopy on surfaces and at interfaces.