Design of High-Sensitivity Probes for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/20/2014
11:00 am

Vijaykumar Ramaswamy, PhD student

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a very powerful technique to study molecular structure and dynamics because of the rich chemical information it can extract. However, its inherent low sensitivity is the Achilles’ heel of NMR, especially when compared to other spectroscopic methods for metabolomics applications. NMR probes based on High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) offer extremely high sensitivity and are particularly suitable for small-sample applications.

The focus of the proposed project is to improve the design of HTS-based NMR probes to maximize detection sensitivity on two channels, while improving their reliability and other performance parameters. Firstly, the project aims to develop novel coil designs for a dual-sensitive NMR probe for optimized detection of 1H and 13C nuclei. With a 1.5-mm sample diameter and 20-μL active sample volume, this probe will be suitable for analysis of mass-limited metabolites and natural products. Further, the project aims to improve the design of HTS probes, which will impact the manufacturability and reliability of these probes. Successful completion of this project will provide a significant leap in HTS probe technology.