Alina Adams

Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie, Germany

Title: Advances in Compact NMR for Analysis of Complex Samples

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Biography

Alina Adams studied physics at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She received her PhD and Habilitation in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, where she currently holds an interim Professor position. Her expertise is in the field of NMR methodology, solid-state NMR, low-field NMR, and material science. 

Abstract

Nowadays, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a primer analytical method for structural analysis of small and large molecules and as a main method for simple and quantitative analysis of complex mixtures. This information are of key importance, as for example, for the design of materials with tailored properties and the prediction of different properties of various mixtures. Most of such analyses are conducted using expensive equipment, which requires trained users and special laboratory place. Yet, many investigations are readily possible with the help of compact and low-cost NMR devices. Since some couple of years is such equipment also commercially available and raises as an interesting alternative to the standard NMR for many applications. In our contribution, we will demonstrate, with the help of selected examples, the potential of compact NMR in solving questions of current interest in various fields of activities. They will include: 1) Novel methodologies for quantifying the structure and content of plasticizers in solution and in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, with PVC being the third most produced polymer worldwide. 2) A new approach for fast screening of the separation power of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for binary solvent mixtures. MOFs are regarded today as efficient alternatives to the current separation and purification procedures, which are very time and energy consuming. 3) The design of a novel low-cost and versatile setup for high-pressure NMR spectroscopy analysis with benchtop NMR and its application on various pressurized samples with focus on their composition quantification and the establishment of a NMR-based startegy as an alternative to Gas Chromatography (GC).