Long-Lived Spin States in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Chemistry
Abstract
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a technique which uses the fact that the nuclei of many atoms act as tiny radiotransmitters, emitting radio signals at precisely-defined frequencies, which can be detected by a carefully-tuned detector. The frequencies and strengths of the signals depend on the magnetic field in which the sample is placed: the higher field, the higher the frequency, and the stronger the signals. In an NMR experiment, the nuclei are first magnetized by placing a sample in a strong magnetic field for some time. A sequence of radiofrequency pulses is then applied to the sample, which then emits radiowaves which can be detected in the radio receiver. The pattern of emitted waves depends on what the nuclei experienced during the pulse sequence. One useful feature is that the nuclei can remember what happened to them some seconds before the radiosignals are emitted. This memory property allows one to track movements such as chemical reactions, the random displacement of molecules, and the flow of blood and other fluids by NMR. Until recently, the memory time of the atomic nuclei was thought to be a fixed property of the substance under study, which could not be changed significantly by the way one does the experiment. However, our group showed in 2004 that for some substances the memory time could be extended by a factor of 10 or more, by applying a certain sequence of radiofrequency pulses. We had demonstrated a new phenomenon which is now called long-lived spin states (LLSS). In this project, we will try to understand the LLSS phenomenon better and learn how to apply it to the study of motional processes. In the long term, this will provide scientists, engineers and doctors with new tools for understanding the behaviour and motion of chemical substances.
Organisations
- University of Southampton (Lead Research Organisation)
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) (Collaboration)
- University of Copenhagen (Collaboration)
- University of Pennsylvania (Collaboration)
- École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon) (Collaboration)
- Cambridge Cancer Centre (Collaboration)
Publications
Tayler MC
(2013)
Accessing long-lived nuclear spin order by isotope-induced symmetry breaking.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Tayler MC
(2012)
Direct enhancement of nuclear singlet order by dynamic nuclear polarization.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Pileio G
(2009)
Extremely low-frequency spectroscopy in low-field nuclear magnetic resonance.
in Physical review letters
Marco-Rius I
(2013)
Hyperpolarized singlet lifetimes of pyruvate in human blood and in the mouse.
in NMR in biomedicine
Laustsen C
(2012)
Hyperpolarized singlet NMR on a small animal imaging system.
in Magnetic resonance in medicine
Pileio G
(2012)
Long-lived nuclear singlet order in near-equivalent 13C spin pairs.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Meier B
(2013)
Long-Lived Nuclear Spin States in Methyl Groups and Quantum-Rotor-Induced Polarization
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Elliott SJ
(2016)
Long-lived nuclear spin states in monodeuterated methyl groups.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Elliott SJ
(2016)
Long-lived nuclear spin states in rapidly rotating CH2D groups.
in Journal of magnetic resonance (San Diego, Calif. : 1997)
Ghosh RK
(2011)
Measurements of the persistent singlet state of N2O in blood and other solvents--potential as a magnetic tracer.
in Magnetic resonance in medicine
Description | It is possible to store nuclear spin order for much longer than the relaxation time T1 |
Exploitation Route | clinical MRI academic; industrial through hyperpolarization technology |
Sectors | Chemicals,Energy,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | Hyperpolarized Nuclear Singlet States |
Amount | £1,459,488 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I036141/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2011 |
End | 07/2014 |
Description | Hyperpolarized Singlet NMR |
Amount | £2,415,690 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 291044 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 10/2011 |
End | 01/2016 |
Description | Hyperpolarized Singlet NMR |
Amount | £2,415,690 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 291044 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 02/2012 |
End | 07/2016 |
Description | Leverhulme Trust |
Amount | £249,958 (GBP) |
Funding ID | F/00 180/AI |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Leverhulme Trust |
Amount | £249,958 (GBP) |
Funding ID | F/00 180/AI |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2010 |
End | 05/2013 |
Description | Singlet nuclear magnetic resonance: from theory to practice |
Amount | £249,958 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2010 |
End | 05/2013 |
Description | Hyperpolarization collaboration |
Organisation | Cambridge Cancer Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | NMR techniques, materials, theory, simulations |
Collaborator Contribution | MRI techniques, materials, methodology |
Impact | Too complex to report here. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Hyperpolarization collaboration |
Organisation | Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | NMR techniques, materials, theory, simulations |
Collaborator Contribution | MRI techniques, materials, methodology |
Impact | Too complex to report here. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Hyperpolarization collaboration |
Organisation | University of Copenhagen |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | NMR techniques, materials, theory, simulations |
Collaborator Contribution | MRI techniques, materials, methodology |
Impact | Too complex to report here. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Hyperpolarization collaboration |
Organisation | University of Pennsylvania |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | NMR techniques, materials, theory, simulations |
Collaborator Contribution | MRI techniques, materials, methodology |
Impact | Too complex to report here. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Hyperpolarization collaboration |
Organisation | École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon) |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | NMR techniques, materials, theory, simulations |
Collaborator Contribution | MRI techniques, materials, methodology |
Impact | Too complex to report here. |
Start Year | 2010 |