Upgrade of 300 MHz Solid State NMR

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities: Departmental Multiuser Instrument Acquisition (CRIF:MU) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will upgrade an existing 300 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. The upgraded 300 MHz spectrometer will enable studies on a) the solid state dynamics of endohedral metallofullerenes; b) the mechanism of chemical warfare agent decomposition in thin films; c) the chemical bonding in wood composites; d) the structure and dynamics of membrane bound proteins; e) structure-property relationships on a variety of materials, including membranes for proton transport in fuel cells; and f) interactions of templates with metal organic framework structures. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure of molecules. It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific arrangements of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between molecules in solution. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these studies will have an impact in a wide variety of areas, including polymer chemistry, national security, energy storage and biochemistry.