With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program and the Chemistry Division, Professor Geoffrey Strouse from Florida State University and colleague William Cooper will acquire a new console and probes for a 500 MHz wide bore nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer for solids. The award will enhance research in areas such as (a) studies of microenvironments in quantum dots (QD), (b) biogeochemistry of natural organic compounds in surface waters, ground waters and soil pore waters, (c) nanofibers composed of designer peptides, (d) intermetallics and Zintl phases, (e) metal supported catalysts, (f) ferroelectric phase transitions, (g) live-cell metabolite analysis, (h) structural analysis of biomimetic nanotechnologies (i) identification of natural products, and (j) soil organic carbon dynamics in tropical forests.
NMR spectroscopy is one of the most widely used analytical tools used by chemists to investigate the content and structure of materials and solids. It is used to identify unknown substances, to characterize specific arrangements of atoms within molecules, and probe the microenvironments in solid state materials. The results from these NMR studies will have a positive impact on studies of bio-inspired materials, polymers, and environmentally relevant materials. The instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research. It will be shared with faculty and students at Florida A&M University and Valdosta State University, and researchers at Tyndall AFB and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
The proposal supported the purchase and installaion of a 500MHz wide bore consule, probes, and associated electronics to upgrade an existing magnet in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University to establish a solid state centric NMR facility. The solids NMR supports research at FSU, FAMU, UWF, and researchers from Tyndall AFB. It has directly been operated by 12 FSU faculty with 20 graduate students, 5 post doctoral associates, and undergraduates in support of their research efforts. The installation of the solids NMR at FSU has directly resulted in the hiring of a femae faculty memebr in solid state NMR. The support of the MRI by NSF has supported research by the faculty of FSU and surrounding universities. The NSF sponsored MRI proposal has levaraged the research of NSF sponsored researchers, and is integral to supporting propsed research efforts. Research efforts have focussed on energy, materials, and biological systems. Currently, the instrumentation operates at greater than 100 hours per week. Capabilities that were enhanced by the installation includes multinuclear probes, high resolution and high speed probes, as well as temperature control broadening hte capabilites to carry out solid state chemistry, materials, nanomaterials, and environmental research. Of particular note, the proposal resulted in 15 manuscripts appearing in peer reviewed journals, and three PHd thesis.
