ssNMR Services

Lab Services

Solid state NMR can provide structural details about chemical systems in the same was as in solution NMR, though generally with somewhat lower spectral resolution. There is more information available in solid state NMR studies which simultaneously offers greater insights while possibly being more difficult to extract. Solid state NMR can also be used to study phenomena that are unique to the solid state such as different physical forms (polymorphs, solvates, amorphous), and materials that resist dissolving, or that are intended to be used in the solid state, thus are preferably analyzed in the solid state. Our lab personnel are experienced at interpreting solid state NMR spectra and can leverage this unique application to solve challenging processes and materials questions.

Common NMR Experiment vs Common Solids Experiment

NMR Experiment

Direct 13C Observe

  • Excite the 13C nucleus
  • Decouple protons during acquisition

 

decoupling proton
Decoupling proton

Solids Experiment

Cross Polarization (CP)

  • Excite the 1H nuclei
  • Transfer Magnetization to X nuclei (e.g. 13C)
  • Decouple protons during acquisition
cross polarization
Cross Polarization

CP advantages:  For 13C , get 4x signal enhancement

Repetition rate driven by 1H, not 13C

NMR Chemical Shifts

  • Result of electronic environment
  • Can distinguish functional groups
    • Carboxylic acids, aromatics, aliphatic, etc.
  • In solids, can observe anisotropic chemical shift (x,y, z directions)