With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) that is co-funded by the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program (CRIF), Professor Mihaela Iovu from University of Texas Dallas and colleagues A. Dean Sherry, John Ferraris, Dennis Smith and Jung-Mo Ahn will acquire a 500 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with two probes. The proposal is aimed at enhancing research training and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) polythiophene-CdSe blends for bulk heterojunction solar cells, (b) perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) polymers for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and gas separation applications, (c) fluorovinylene aryl ether telechelic polymers for thermal chain extension and tandem crosslinking, (d) lanthanide complexes and polymers as metabolic sensors for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and (e) development of peptidomimetics for treatment of diabetes mellitus.
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. Access to state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers is essential to chemists who are carrying out frontier research. The results from these NMR studies will have an impact in synthetic organic/inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and biochemistry. This instrument will be an integral part of teaching as well as research.
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas received funds from NSF to upgrade the NMR Facility with a 500 MHz NMR instrument. The Bruker Avance 500 MHz NMR instrument has a triple resonance probe for observation of proton, carbon, and nitrogen nuclei.The multinuclear broadband probe with digital converter covers the range of nuclei from nitrogen to phosphorus with proton decoupling. The instrument has digital variable temperature control which allows experiments to be run at temperatures ranging from -150 to 150 0C. This instrument replaced a 17 years old 500 MHz Varian Inova instrument. This new Bruker Avance 500 MHz NMR instrument provided capabilities for research in the fields of organic/polymer chemistry, membranes, and biomaterials.Faculty from departments of Chemistry, Biology, Bioengineering, and Materials Science and Engineerring are preforming research in areas which require the use of NMR spectroscopy.More importantly, through exposure to the use of high field NMR students gained an understanding of the scope and range of applications to which this technique can be applied in research. The broader impact of this proposal included activities for integrating multidisciplinary research activities and multi-level educational opportunities involving NMR in the fileds of organic/polymer chemistry, membranes, and biomaterials. This proposal involved direct participation by a diverse group of students and faculty, including members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering.
