Ames, Iowa
Researchers at the U. S. Department of Energy Ames National Laboratory are advancing materials research with the installation of a new high-field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (DNP-NMR) spectrometer. The system strengthens the lab’s DNP-NMR research capabilities by providing a much higher resolution for solid-state NMR experiments. The field strength of the new material is 14.1 T, which is 50% higher than that from the previously-installed DNP instrument.
Fred Perras, a scientist at Ames Lab who works in the NMR laboratory, explained that higher magnetic fields allow them to study a larger range of materials with greater clarity.
"The new instrument will expand our capabilities at the lab and provide far higher resolution than we had previously. This will allow us to distinguish previously unobservable species on materials surfaces that are relevant for catalysis, for instance, which is important in the production of about 90% of all consumer goods," he said.
The improved resolution from the new spectrometer will make it easier for Perras and his team to examine materials that were previously difficult or impossible to study with the existing equipment, such as the metal centers of supported heterogenous catalysts.
“The higher magnetic field offered by the new DNP instrument will be crucial to enable the study of unreceptive nuclei like oxygen and chlorine that are found in emerging semiconductor materials like nanocrystals and atomically-thin layered 2D materials,” said Aaron Rossini, another Ames Lab scientist. “Having access to this instrument will enable us to determine precise 3D structures of these materials and correlate the structure to the frequencies of light that are absorbed and emitted."
A second DNP instrument also allows researchers to perform experiments at multiple magnetic field strengths, which advances development of next generation technology.
“We see this instrument as being our platform for plans for next generation DNP instrumentation,” explained Perras. “The ultimate goal is to develop new DNP technologies, for instance by going to lower temperatures or using alternate approaches to drive new DNP mechanisms that have not been explored yet.”
With its expanded capabilities and potential to advance DNP capabilities in the future, the new instrument positions Ames Lab in a leadership position the field of DNP research. Ames Lab is now one of a small number of laboratories with these unique DNP capabilities.
Ames National Laboratory is a U. S. Department of Energy Office of Science National Laboratory operated by Iowa State University. Ames Laboratory creates innovative materials, technologies, and energy solutions. We use our expertise, unique capabilities, and interdisciplinary collaborations to solve global problems.
Ames Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit https://energy.gov/science.