High-pressure low-field 1H NMR relaxometry in nanoporous materials

A low-field NMR sensor with NdFeB permanent magnets (B0=118 mT) and a pressure cell made of PEEK (4 cm outer diameter) were designed for (1)H relaxation time studies of adsorbed molecules at pressures of up to 300 bar. The system was used to investigate methane uptake of microporous metal-organic frameworks and nanoporous activated carbon. T2 relaxation time distribution of pure methane and of methane under co-adsorption of carbon dioxide show that the host-guest interaction lead to a relaxation time contrasts, which may be used to distinguish between the gas phase and the different adsorbed phases of methane. Adsorption isotherms, exchange of methane between adsorbent particles and the surrounding gas phase, successive displacement of methane from adsorption sites by co-adsorption of carbon dioxide and CO2/CH4 adsorption separation factors were determined from the observed NMR relaxation time distributions.

Nuclear magnetic resonance at high pressure

Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation measurements at high pressure provide unique information about the microscopic behavior of liquids. This article presents the principles of this technique; illustrates its usefulness by several specific examples of studies of molecular liquids, water, and supercritical dense fluids; and indicates the promising future of high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at high pressure with examples of studies of chemical exchange and homogeneous catalytic processes.