MRI: Acquisition of an EPR Spectrometer for Variable Temperature Measurements

在主要研究仪器计划(MRI)的这一奖项和化学研究仪器计划(CRIF)的支持下，华盛顿大学的Liviu Mirica教授及其同事罗伯特·布兰肯希普、威廉·布赫罗、D·安德烈·达维尼翁和索菲亚·海斯将获得一台工作在X波段的EPR光谱仪。该仪器将允许在各种领域进行研究，例如那些提供洞察生物相关物种在拥有未配对电子时的行为的研究。一般来说，EPR光谱仪可以提供有关分子和固态材料的几何和电子结构的详细信息。它还可以用来获得有关自由基寿命的信息，自由基是参与有价值的化学转化的短暂、高活性物种，以及启动病理性肿瘤生长的信息。这些研究将影响许多领域，从无机和有机分子的合成到新型固态材料的开发，再到具有磁性和生物意义的化合物。该仪器将成为华盛顿大学本科生和研究生以及整个圣路易斯地区机构研究和教学的一个组成部分。该奖项旨在加强各级的研究和教育，特别是在以下领域：(A)研究和开发基于金属的催化系统；(B)表征含金属的生物分子的生物学重要性；(C)研究与太阳能转换有关的生物大分子组装；(D)表征纳米材料；以及(E)了解无机化合物的电子特性。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) and support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Liviu Mirica from Washington University and colleagues Robert Blankenship, William Buhro, D. Andre d'Avignon and Sophia Hayes will acquire an EPR spectrometer that would operate at X-band. This instrument will allow research in a variety of fields such as those that provide insight on how biologically relevant species behave when they possess unpaired electrons. In general, an EPR spectrometer yields detailed information on the geometric and electronic structure of molecular and solid state materials. It may also be used to obtain information about the lifetimes of free radicals, short-lived, highly reactive species involved in valuable chemical transformations as well as the initiation of pathological tumor growth. These studies will impact a number of areas, from the synthesis of inorganic and organic molecules to the development of new solid state materials to compounds of magnetic and biological interest. Employing examples inspired from ongoing research, this instrument will be an integral part of research and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Washington University as well as institutions in the entire St. Louis area.The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) investigating and developing metal-based catalytic systems; (b) characterizing metal-containing biomolecules biological importance; (c) studying biological macromolecular assemblies relevant to solar energy conversion; (d) characterizing nanomaterials; and (e) understanding the electronic characteristics of inorganic compounds.