Urgent and Cost-Effective Robot-Controlled Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Spectrometer

我们提出了一种经济有效的解决方案，以满足机器人控制的核四极共振（NQR）光谱仪控制台和相关放大器和探头的迫切需求。据我们所知，在加拿大没有这样的光谱仪，昂贵的资源正在被使用依赖于核磁共振光谱仪的临时解决方案所消耗。在用核磁共振（NMR）光谱法研究元素周期表中的许多元素时，出现了一个重大问题。元素周期表中75%的元素是四极性的（原子核自旋为1 >1/2），这通常会导致光谱大幅展宽。以锗-73、碘-127和锑-121等同位素为例，四极展宽是如此严重，以至于固态核磁共振变得不切实际和难以处理，即使在商业上可用的最高磁场中也是如此。在没有外部施加磁场的情况下进行的NQR光谱成为唯一的选择。所要求的设备将使我们能够克服在固态核磁共振光谱中观察到的四极性展宽所带来的限制，并真正打开完整的元素和同位素周期表进行研究。我们还将开发用于NQR的原位力学化学工具。自动调谐功能，加上先进的射频脉冲序列，将大大加快和推进我们的学术和工业研究的多条线。由共同申请人直接监督的大约20名高素质人员（HQP）将立即受益于使用该工具。进一步的间接培训效益将通过广泛的正在进行的和未来的协作工作来实现。作为核磁共振核心设施的一部分，还有大约200个其他潜在的HQP用户。将NQR光谱学添加到他们的核磁共振和固态化学技能库中，将有助于他们成为学术，工业和政府部门就业的热门人选。

We present a cost-effective solution to an urgent unmet need for a robot-controlled nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectrometer console and associated amplifiers and probe. There are no such spectrometers available in Canada to our knowledge, and costly resources are being consumed by using a temporary work-around reliant on access to NMR spectrometers. A significant issue arises in studying many of the elements of the periodic table by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 75% of the elements in the periodic table are quadrupolar (nuclear spin I >1/2), resulting oftentimes in substantial spectral broadening. In the case of isotopes such as germanium-73, iodine-127, and antimony-121, for example, quadrupolar broadening is so severe that solid-state NMR becomes impractical and intractable, even in the highest commercially available magnetic fields. NQR spectroscopy, carried out in the absence of an external applied magnetic field, becomes the only option. The requested equipment will allow us to overcome the limitations imposed by quadrupolar broadening observed in solid-state NMR spectroscopy, and truly open the complete periodic table of elements and isotopes for study. We will also develop in-situ mechanochemistry tools for NQR. The auto-tuning functionality, coupled with advanced radiofrequency pulse sequences, will greatly accelerate and advance multiples lines of our academic and industrial research. Approximately 20/year highly qualified personnel (HQP) supervised directly by the co-applicants will immediately benefit from access to this instrument. Further indirect training benefits will be realized through extensive ongoing and future collaborative work. As part of the NMR Core Facility there are > 200 other potential HQP users. Adding NQR spectroscopy to their arsenal of NMR and solid-state chemistry skills will help make them highly sought-after candidates for employment in the academic, industrial, and government sectors.