Stable magic angle spinning with Low-Cost 3D-Printed parts

Area of Science:

• Scientific Instrumentation
• Spectroscopy
• Materials Science

Background:

• Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique for materials analysis.
• Existing MAS probes can be expensive and lack customization options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, customizable 3D-printed MAS system for NMR.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of 3D printing components for MAS NMR probes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers to create spinning modules for various rotor sizes (7.0, 4.0, and 3.5 mm).
• Developed a home-built 4.0 mm MAS NMR probe at 7 Tesla.
• Designed 3D-printed inserts for sample humidity isolation and single crystal mounting.

Main Results:

• Achieved high-resolution 1H NMR signal of silicone grease using a 4.0 mm system with a 3D-printed drive cap.
• Reached spinning frequencies of up to 23 kHz with the 3.5 mm MAS system.
• Demonstrated sample humidity isolation for over a week using 3D-printed inserts.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing offers a cost-effective solution for creating customized MAS NMR components.
• This technology enables adaptation of existing probes and manufacturing of new ones.
• Facilitates wider accessibility to advanced MAS NMR techniques.