Magnetic Resonance

NMR spectroscopists

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory serves a wide variety of researchers at Iowa State University and chemical industries in the Ames area. The instrumentation provided in the NMR facility is used by individual student and industrial researchers, in addition to accepting externally submitted samples for Iowa State University affiliated collaborations and regional corporations and universities. 

Located in rooms 1232 Hach Hall and 1702 Gilman Hall, the NMR Laboratory is both a service and user facility. Most local users are trained to run samples and analyze data independently. Sample submission from Iowa State or external clients should be arranged through facility staff. 

The primary users of the laboratory are from the departments of Chemistry, Material Sciences and Chemical and Biological Engineering.
 

Please contact Dr. Sarah Cady,  sdcady@iastate.edu or Dr. Shu Xu,  sxu@iastate.edu for information.

Phone: Hach Lab/Office 515-294-5975, Gilman Lab: 515-294-4057.  

Available Instrumentation - (Video Description)

  • Avance II 600 Cryoprobe/Solids: This wide bore 14.1 Tesla instrument is equipped with a QCI-P solution cryoprobe with extended temperature range (0-135 °C), and 4mm and 2.5mm MAS probes for solid-state NMR. The instrument is in cryoprobe mode approximately 75% of the year, and solids mode approximately 25% of the year. MAS probes are triple resonance (1H, BB/44-122MHz, and BB/30-80MHz) for high resolution solids. Variable temperature capabilities for both solid and solution NMR, for temperatures ranging from -50 °C to +135 °C. This instrument is used for basic long-term experiments and complex multidimensional solids experiments. Use of this instrument must be pre-arranged with facility staff. 
  • Avance III 600: This narrow bore 14.1 Tesla instrument is equipped with a normal geometry 2H/1H/BB BBFO SmartProbe capable of tuning to nuclei of 109Ag-19F on the broadband channel, and a 2H/13C/1H/BB inverse probe with a dedicated 13C channel and 109Ag - 19F range on the broadband channel. Both probes have autolock and autoshim capabilities, with autotune on the SmartProbe. Both probes have variable temperature capabilities ranging from -150 °C to +150 °C. The instrument is also equipped with a SampleExpress 60-sample changer.
  • 400 MR: This narrow bore 9.4 tesla instrument is equipped with a OneNMR pulse-field-gradient probe, that is capable of auto tuning to nuclei from 15N - 19F, although this probe uses the 1H channel for 19F experiments. The probe is also capable of variable temperature experiments in the range of -80 to +130 °C. This instrument is used for routine 1H/13C characterization experiments, routine X nucleus detection, 1D selective experiments (APT, DEPT, NOESY1D) and 2D experiments. 
  • NEO 400: This narrow bore 9.4 tesla instrument is equipped with a LN2-cooled broadband Prodigy Cryoprobe and Insight MR flow cell for reaction kinetics. The Prodigy probe has excellent sensitivity for X channel experiments and a temperature range of -40 °C to +80 °C. This instrument is principally used for routine walk-up, kinetics and multi-dimensional experiments.
  • DRX 500: This narrow bore 11.7 T magnet is equipped with a broadband triple resonance, normal geometry probe. This instrument is used mainly for routine walk-up 1D 1H and 13C experiments. 

  • ELEXSYS E580: The EPR system has both CW and pulsed/FT X-band capabilities. The system has four resonators for facility use, including two CW resonators (SHQE and aqueous resonators), and two FT resonators (dielectric and split-ring resonators). It also has a low temperature accessory for both CW and FT resonators, capable of reaching liquid nitrogen or liquid helium temperatures.

  • The high field NMR facility in BBMB features 700 and 800 MHz NMR spectrometers equipped with cryoprobes. These systems offer extremely high resolution for high molecular weight systems and high sensitivity for low concentration samples. The cryogenically cooled probes offer up to 4x enhancement in NMR signal. Both NMRs are located in the basement of the MBB building, across the street from Hach. Contact Bruce Fulton for more information and to schedule measuring time.

  • NMR Facility Rates & Access Policies
  • NMR Tutorials
  • Sample Submission
  • EH&S Laboratory Safety Manual