UK reaches the gigahertz NMR level – behind other nations

By Andy Extance2020-10-28T09:30:00

An image showing the 1.2 GHz NMR in Göttingen

Source: © Swen Pförtner/Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

New instruments push the limits of this vital analytical technique – but other countries are already reaching even higher fields and frequencies

The University of Warwick has received the UK’s first NMR machine capable of generating ¹H frequencies in the 1GHz range – but this still lags behind other top research nations’ capabilities. The instrument was delivered on 10 October, and is now being installed and ‘brought to field’ by US firm Bruker.

Later this year Bruker will bring a second 1GHz instrument to field at the University of Birmingham, explains Warwick’s Steven Brown. Together the instruments will allow researchers to study the structures of molecules and materials in higher resolution than ever before. ‘The Birmingham instrument will focus on biomolfoecular solution-state NMR while the Warwick one is focused on solid-state NMR applications,’ Brown tells Chemistry World. This investment by the funding council UK Research and Innovation in 1GHz technology ‘is welcome, but the UK is still playing catch-up’, Brown adds.