Surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy (SENS) can be achieved by using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). In this approach, electron polarization is transferred from an organic radical to the rare nuclei (at natural isotopic abundance) at the surface, yielding more than a hundred-fold signal enhancement for species at the surfaces of oxide materials.We have made rapid progress with this method since its introduction in 2010, and here we show recent advances towards improving the sensitivity of the technique by designing new stable organic radicals to have long electron relaxation times, thereby acting as much improved sources of polarization. These developments allow us to characterize surface composition and structure in a range of materials with DNP SENS, ranging from semi-conducting nanoparticles through tricalcium silicates to periodic mesoporous organosilicates. These materials have low density of surface sites, have surface areas as low as 1 m2/g, and were previously not accessible to detailed characterization by multi-dimensional NMR methods.

Development of surface enhanced NMR spectrosopy for the characterization of oxide surfaces

247th National Meeting (2014)

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