NMR spectrometers
The focus in our group lies on research using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy. In our NMR facility, which was inaugurated in 2013, three NMR spectrometers are set up to be used for a wide range of tasks.
Our 400 MHz spectrometer (Bruker Avance III HD) is equipped with an autosampler so that a large number of samples can be measured automatically one after the other. Four probes are available for this device, with which 5 or 10 mm samples can be measured. Applications range from high temperature measurements (up to ~480 K) of polymer melts, diffusion measurements of polymer solutions, imaging (via 1H, 19F or 2H) to the measurement of general NMR data sets (including 1H decoupled 19F spectroscopy and multidimensional spectra).
Our 600 MHz instrument (Bruker Avance III) is equipped with a triple resonance broadband inverse probe (TBI; 1H/31P, BB/2H) as default, which can be used to measure a wide range of homo- and heteronuclear experiments or diffusion of small molecules in a temperature range between 240 K and 350 K, among other things. A nitrogen evaporator is also available for the device, so that low-temperature measurements down to 180 K can be carried out. Furthermore, an HR-MAS probe (1H, 13C, 2H) is available for this spectrometer, which can be used to perform measurements of anisotropic highly viscous gels, liquid crystalline phases and (to a limited degree) solids.
The 700 MHz spectrometer (Bruker Avance III HD) is equipped with a helium-cooled cryoprobe (quadruple resonance inverse probe; 1H/19F, 31P/13C/15N/2H), with a significantly increased sensitivity for measurements on samples with low concentrations or higher-dimensional homo- and heteronuclear correlation experiments.
Aside from internal use, other scientists may also be granted access to the NMR spectrometers. Details are governed by the (opens in new tab) (available only in German). Nutzungsordnung
UV/Vis und IR spectrometer
Infrared spectra are measured on a Bruker Alpha spectrometer equipped with an ATR unit and a transmission unit.
The two available measuring modules allow for the measurement of pure compounds in solid or liquid form as well as in solution, as Nujol mull or in KBr discs. The Bruker Alpha is so small that it can easily be brought into our glovebox, so that measurements of air-sensitive compounds under argon atmosphere are also possible.
GPC and HPLC
Furthermore, we have a gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) setup for the analysis of the polymers produced in our laboratories. Both a UV/Vis and a refractive index detector can be used for measurements. Using appropriate columns, the GPC setup can be converted to an HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) setup.