Transforming solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance towards a chemistry-ready technique

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is crucial for analyzing material structure and dynamics.
• Barriers in technology and operation have limited its widespread adoption in chemistry.
• The PANACEA project aimed to overcome these limitations and democratize solid-state NMR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a pan-European infrastructure for solid-state NMR.
• To enhance user access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and foster technological innovation.
• To integrate solid-state NMR into mainstream chemical research workflows.

Main Methods:

• Development of advanced instrumentation and technological innovations.
• Coordinated user access to a pan-European network of facilities.
• Creation of interoperable software platforms like EasyNMR and CHEMeDATA.
• Advancements in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) methods, probe design, and ultra-fast magic angle spinning (MAS).

Main Results:

• Enabled over 90 user projects across chemistry and materials science over three years.
• Drove significant advancements in DNP methods, probe design, and ultra-fast MAS.
• Successfully integrated solid-state NMR into broader chemical and materials science applications.
• Facilitated the development and adoption of interoperable software for data management and analysis.

Conclusions:

• Infrastructure-driven research and guided access can significantly broaden the impact of solid-state NMR.
• The PANACEA initiative successfully transformed solid-state NMR into a more accessible and integrated analytical technique.
• This approach can be a model for enhancing the adoption of advanced analytical methods in scientific communities.