Advertisement

If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)

ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCES TO C&EN

Analytical Chemistry

Down-to-earth NMR spectrometry

January 30, 2006 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 84, Issue 5

An ultra-high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer has been developed that forgoes the usual expensive superconducting magnet and uses Earth's weak but free magnetic field instead (Nat. Phys., published online Jan. 22, dx.doi.org/10.1038/nphys211). Stephan Appelt of the Helmholtz Research Center in Jülich, Germany, and his coworkers used the instrument to obtain 1H, 7Li, and 19F NMR spectra of common compounds such as benzene, aqueous LiCl, silicone oil, and a nonafluorohexene. Earth's magnetic field is characterized by its high homogeneity, which surpasses that of the best man-made magnets and provides better peak resolution with just a single NMR scan, the researchers report. NMR using Earth's magnetic field has been carried out previously, but earlier approaches required complex equipment, such as cryogenically cooled detectors. Appelt and his coworkers suppose that their simpler device will lead to the first inexpensive and field-portable NMR spectrometers that could be used for medical imaging (MRI), in-line chemical reaction monitoring, and environmental monitoring.

Article:

This article has been sent to the following recipient:

0 /1 FREE ARTICLES LEFT THIS MONTH Remaining
Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need.