MRI: Track 2: Acquisition of a state-of-the-art NMR spectrometer for multinuclear studies of solid and liquid phase samples

This award is jointly supported by the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation (CRIF) programs. Colorado State University is acquiring a 600 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, equipped with one solids and two liquids probes and a 60-sample automated liquid sampler. The NMR will immediately impact a broad group of internal and external users, including 29 faculty from 16 departments and Interdisciplinary Centers, Institutes and Schools across 6 colleges at CSU, 11 additional faculty from regional and national institutions and 8 local industries.

The proposal is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as chemical synthesis, soil science, carbon capture, wastewater treatment, climate challenges, materials for energy conversion and storage, biological tissue mimics, biomedical imaging, drug development, drug delivery, advanced medical polymers, disease diagnostics, and microbiome research. In general, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of the most powerful tools available to chemists for the elucidation of the structure of molecules.

It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific arrangements of atoms within molecules, and to study the dynamics of interactions between molecules in solution or in the solid state. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The cryogenic probe provides a significant increase in sensitivity relative to standard NMR probes.

In addition to supporting exciting and impactful research at the home institution and by local and regional collaborators, the instrument also has substantial impact on female and underrepresented scientists. The instrument enables education and training opportunities for numerous future scientists. The proposal contains a clear plan to increase participation by scientists from marginalized populations and to be included in research for undergraduate (REU) programs.

The award is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels, especially in areas such as chemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, Civil & Environmental Eng, Electrical & Computer Eng, Mechanical Eng, Environmental, Rad & Health Sci, Ecosystem Sci & Sustainability, Food Science & Nutrition, Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, and Soil & Crop Science. Specifically, this state-of-the-art, high-field NMR will allow users to tackle previously unattainable research challenges by enabling measurements of solid samples and diverse NMR-active nuclei, while providing exceptional resolution and sensitivity for complex sample analysis.

High-impact research projects from CSU users span chemical synthesis, soil science, carbon capture, wastewater treatment, climate challenges, materials for energy conversion and storage, biological tissue mimics, biomedical imaging, drug development, drug delivery, advanced medical polymers, disease diagnostics, and microbiome research. Regionally impacted research spans metabolomics, soil remediation, sustainable explosives for mining, carbon capture, recycling and conversion to value added products, and drug discovery, development and delivery.

Furthermore, the proposed NMR will have impact through existing collaborations across the United States including its integration into established, national programs such as the Soil Carbon Solutions Center at CSU, for which high field SSNMR would benefit researchers nationwide unraveling the complexity of soil organic matter and climate impacted ecosystems. The instrument will be coupled to an existing helium recovery system.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.