Could NMR be applied for other elements besides Hydrogen?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
Sign up Log in
5 replies · 2K views
xhtp2000
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
Most books discribe NMR as a diagnotic technique for Hydrogen and its isotopes. Could Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy be applied for other elements with odd atomic number besides H? If so, what is the major challenge for a multi-element scanning?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
xhtp2000 said:
Most book discribe NMR as a diagnotic technique for Hydrogen and its isotopes. Could Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy be applied for other elements with odd atomic number besides H? If so, what is the major challenge for a multi-element scanning?

It definitely can and it is not an uncommon practice. Here's an example of NMR using Pt:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...gikR_3oZQ&sig2=YGDlBc4U0DjdT9PWSXMnLA&cad=rja

Also note that electron spin resonance is a similar technique as NMR, but done onto the electron spin states.

Zz.
 
xhtp2000 said:
Could Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy be applied for other elements with odd atomic number besides H?
Certainly. Phosphorous is a commonly used nucleus also.
 
xhtp2000 said:
Most book discribe NMR as a diagnotic technique for Hydrogen and its isotopes.

Of four standard spectroscopic methods used in the organic analysis two are NMR techniques using different nuclei: H NMR and C-13 NMR. Two other are IR and MS.
 
ZapperZ said:
It definitely can and it is not an uncommon practice. Here's an example of NMR using Pt:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwj7uOC-94bKAhVCNSYKHakeDWEQFggkMAE&url=http://www.technology.matthey.com/pdf/pmr-v37-i1-017-023.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEBbxqmZZFm7m7oE-3LAgikR_3oZQ&sig2=YGDlBc4U0DjdT9PWSXMnLA&cad=rja

Also note that electron spin resonance is a similar technique as NMR, but done onto the electron spin states.

Zz.
Thank you so much for your answers guys! But what is the challenge to have a multi-elemental mapping using NMR, say, is it possible to have H, C13, P, etc.all elements with odd atomic numbers at the same time?
 
xhtp2000 said:
Thank you so much for your answers guys! But what is the challenge to have a multi-elemental mapping using NMR, say, is it possible to have H, C13, P, etc.all elements with odd atomic numbers at the same time?

What NMR requires is a nonzero nuclear spin - for example, 2H and 14N are often used for (quadrupolar) NMR studies in a variety of applications.

You need to examine the natural abundance of each isotope to see how the numbers pan out - for example, 1H is the vastly predominant stable isotope (> 99.9%), 13C is the vastly non-dominant stable isotope (~ 1%), and 31P is the only stable isotope (100%). However, it is possible to produce isotopically enriched samples to make doing experiments easier in that regard. So a naturally occurring chemical/biological/material sample here on Earth will be extremely rich in 1H, all 31P, but have a small amount of 13C. This may or may not be a problem, depending on what you want to do.