Name: high-sensitivity nuclear magnetic resonance at giga-pascal pressures: a new tool for probing electronic and chemical properties of condensed matter under extreme conditions
Uploaded: 2014-10-10T15:00:00.000+00:00
Duration: 8 min 42 s
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extr

This research was funded by the International Research Training Group (IRTG) &#8220;Diffusion in porous Materials&#8221;. We acknowledge the technical support from Gert Klotzsche and stimulating discussions with Steven Reichhardt, Thomas Meissner, Damian Rybicki, Tobias Herzig, Natalya Georgieva, Jonas Kohlrautz, and Michael Jurkutat.

1. Mounting and Aligning of the 6H-SiC Large Cone Boehler-type Anvils
<ol>
	<li>Fix the piston and x-y plate in the mounting tools and insert the Boehler-type anvils in the seating area.</li>
	<li>Make sure each anvil sits firmly in the backing plates.</li>
	<li>Using epoxy resin, (e.g., Stycast 1266), glue both anvils to their seats. Cure for 12 h at RT, or 65 &#186;C in a furnace for 2 hr.</li>
	<li>For a sufficient anvil alignment, use the M1 set-screws to align the backing plates and monitor the parallelism of both anvils. If the anvils were found to be non-parallel, remove the epoxy resin and restart at point 1.2.</li>
</ol>
2. Gasket Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Drill 1 mm holes into a chip of annealed Cu-Be (Cu 98 w%, Be 2 wt%, thickness of 0.5 mm) for the brass guide pins.</li>
	<li>Insert three 5 mm long pieces of 1 mm diameter non-insulated copper wire into the holes, which are distributed along the anvil, to serve as guide pins for the Cu-Be gasket.</li>
	<li>Check for proper grounding between the guide pins and the cell body. Typically, a DC resistance of about 0.1 &#937; is desired. Improve with an application of a small amount of conductive silver.</li>
	<li>Place the Cu-Be chip on top of the moissanite anvil and close the cell.</li>
	<li>Using a hydraulic press, pressurize the gasket to about 1/8th of the culet diameter for maximized working stability. Monitor the actual thickness of the indentation using a micrometer caliper.</li>
	<li>Drill a hole of the appropriate diameter (&#189; of the culet diameter) in the center of the indentation.</li>
	<li>Carve two channels into the pre-indented gasket. The channels should be deep enough to accommodate the 18 &#181;m copper wire of the micro-coil.</li>
	<li>Harden the prepared gasket at 617 K for 2 to 3 hr in a furnace.</li>
</ol>
3. Preparing and Loading of the Micro-coil
<ol>
	<li>Use a piece of 1 mm copper wire and thread it through the feed-through of the piston. Fix the copper wire with epoxy resin and cure it according to step 1.3.</li>
	<li>Choose an awl (see list of materials) which has the desired diameter for the micro-coil and fix it between a pair of rotatable chuck-jaws.</li>
	<li>Glue (with e.g., varnish from SCB, see list of materials) one end of the 18 &#181;m copper wire onto the chuck jaws, while holding the other end and rotate the chuck jaw so that the wire is coiled onto the awl.</li>
	<li>When the micro-coil is of the desired geometry, fix the other end of the wire onto the glue as well.</li>
	<li>Use diluted varnish to fix the coil by applying a small amount on top of the windings.</li>
	<li>Remove the coil carefully from the awl using Teflon tape.</li>
	<li>Place some epoxy resin (see point 1.3), without any additives, in the channels of the gasket.</li>
	<li>Place the micro-coil inside the sample chamber and fix the leads into the channels.</li>
	<li>Cure the epoxy resin according to step 1.3.</li>
	<li>Solder one lead of the micro-coil to the hot wire and the other to a guide pin.</li>
	<li>Add some silver conductive paste on top of each junction. Curing typically takes some minutes.</li>
	<li>Seal both junctions with a small amount of epoxy resin.</li>
	<li>Cure the epoxy according to step 1.3.</li>
	<li>Now, check the DC resistance of the coil after every step.</li>
	<li>Place the sample in the micro-coil. Be aware that any unnecessary physical contact may destroy the coil.</li>
	<li>Add finely ground ruby powder to the sample for pressure calibration.</li>
	<li>Finally, flood the sample chamber with an appropriate pressure medium. Use paraffin oil to ensure nearly-hydrostatic conditions up to 9 GPa.</li>
	<li>Close the cell carefully.</li>
</ol>
4. Applying and Monitoring Pressure
<ol>
	<li>At first, slightly tighten the M3 Allen countersunk screws.</li>
	<li>For pressurization fix the cell in a vise. Now, tighten two opposing screws pairwise.</li>
	<li>Place the pressurized cell in an appropriate cell holder.</li>
	<li>Adjust the position of the cell so that the laser beam reaches the sample chamber.</li>
	<li>Use the fine-adjustment table to focus the ruby powder in the laser beam.</li>
	<li>Monitor the ruby photoluminescence spectrum using the corresponding spectrometer software.</li>
	<li>Extract the actual pressure in the sample cavity from the observed spectral shift of the ruby R1 and R2 lines.</li>
	<li>Equilibrate the pressurized cell for at least 12 hr before NMR measurements are started.</li>
</ol>
5. Performing NMR Experiments
<ol>
	<li>Mount the pressure cell onto a typical NMR probe. Manufacture appropriate cell holders in a mechanical workshop.</li>
	<li>Solder the hot wire to the probe. Check for proper electrical contact between the cell and the probe.</li>
	<li>Now, perform standard NMR experiments. Draw attention to the fact that the micro-coil is very sensitive to the applied radio-frequency power.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
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E., Stillwell, R. L., Purcell, K. M., Tozer, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nonmetallic+gasket+and+miniature+plastic+turnbuckle+diamond+anvil+cell+for+pulsed+magnetic+field+studies+at+cryogenic+temperatures.">Nonmetallic gasket and miniature plastic turnbuckle diamond anvil cell for pulsed magnetic field studies at cryogenic temperatures.</a> High Pressure Research. 31 (4), 533-543 (2011).</li><li>Pravica, M., Silvera, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=NMR+Study+of+Ortho-Para+Conversion+at+High+Pressure+in+Hydrogen.">NMR Study of Ortho-Para Conversion at High Pressure in Hydrogen.</a> Physical Review Letters. 81 (19), 4180-4183 (1998).</li><li>Haase, J., Goh, S. K., Meissner, T., Alireza, P. L., Rybicki, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High+sensitivity+nuclear+magnetic+resonance+probe+for+anvil+cell+pressure+experiments.">High sensitivity nuclear magnetic resonance probe for anvil cell pressure experiments.</a> Rev Sci Instrum. 80 (7), 73905 (2009).</li><li>Meissner, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=New+Approach+to+High-Pressure+Nuclear+Magnetic+Resonance+with+Anvil+Cells.">New Approach to High-Pressure Nuclear Magnetic Resonance with Anvil Cells.</a> J Low Temp Phys. 159 (1-2), 284-287 (2010).</li><li>Meier, T., Herzig, T., Haase, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Moissanite+Anvil+Cell+Design+for+Giga-Pascal+Nuclear+Magnetic+Resonance.">Moissanite Anvil Cell Design for Giga-Pascal Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.</a> Rev Sci Instrum. 85 (4), 43903 (2014).</li><li>Boyer, R. F., Collings, E. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Materials Properties Handbook: Titanium Alloys. , (1994).</li><li>Xu, J. -. a., Yen, J., Wang, Y., Huang, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ultrahigh+pressures+in+gem+anvil+cells.">Ultrahigh pressures in gem anvil cells.</a> High Pressure Research. 15 (2), 127-134 (1996).</li><li>Xu, J. -. a., Mao, H. -. k., Hemley, R. J., Hines, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+moissanite+anvil+cell+a+new+tool+for+high-pressure+research.">The moissanite anvil cell a new tool for high-pressure research.</a> J Phys Condens Matter. 14 (44), 11543-11548 (2002).</li><li>Xu, J. -. a., Mao, H. -. k., Hemley, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+gem+anvil+cell+high-pressure+behaviour+of+diamond+and+related+materials.">The gem anvil cell high-pressure behaviour of diamond and related materials.</a> J Phys Condens Matter. 14 (44), 11549-11552 (2002).</li><li>Meissner, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nuclear+magnetic+resonance+at+up+to+10.1+GPa+pressure+detects+an+electronic+topological+transition+in+aluminum+metal.">Nuclear magnetic resonance at up to 10.1 GPa pressure detects an electronic topological transition in aluminum metal.</a> J Phys Condens Matter. 26 (1), 15501 (2014).</li><li>Meissner, T., Goh, S. K., Haase, J., Williams, G. r. a. n. t. . V. M., Littlewood, P. 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K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High+pressure+de+Haas&#8211;van+Alphen+studies+of+Sr2RuO4+using+an+anvil+cell.">High pressure de Haas&#8211;van Alphen studies of Sr2RuO4 using an anvil cell.</a> Current Applied Physics. 8 (3-4), 304-307 (2008).</li><li>Tateiwa, N., Haga, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evaluations+of+pressure-transmitting+media+for+cryogenic+experiments+with+diamond+anvil+cell.">Evaluations of pressure-transmitting media for cryogenic experiments with diamond anvil cell.</a> Rev Sci Instrum. 80 (12), 123901 (2009).</li><li>Hahn, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spin+Echoes.">Spin Echoes.</a> Phys Rev. 80 (4), 580-594 (1950).</li><li>Boehler, R., Ross, M., Boercker, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Melting+of+LiF+and+NaCl+to+1+Mbar+Systematics+of+Ionic+Solids+at+Extreme+Conditions.">Melting of LiF and NaCl to 1 Mbar Systematics of Ionic Solids at Extreme Conditions.</a> Physical Review Letters. 78 (24), 4589-4592 (1997).</li><li>Funamori, N., Sato, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+cubic+boron+nitride+gasket+for+diamond-anvil+experiments.">A cubic boron nitride gasket for diamond-anvil experiments.</a> Rev Sci Instr. 79 (5), 053903 (2008).</li><li>Forman, R. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

A new and promising method to perform NMR at Giga-Pascal pressures was described. This method opens up the door to a broad variety of NMR experiments due to its excellent sensitivity and resolution. Nevertheless, several steps described in the protocol section are crucial to the outcome of the experiment. Especially, the preparation of the micro-coil and its fixation in the Cu-Be gasket is very difficult and requires some experience. In the following, some important tips are given, which should help a first successful ap...

Since Percy Bridgman&#39;s hallmark experiments of condensed matter under high hydrostatic pressures at the beginning of the last century, the field of high pressure physics has evolved rapidly1. A large number of intriguing phenomena are known to occur under pressures of several GPa2. In addition, the response of condensed matter systems to high pressure has taught us a lot about their electronic ground and excited states3,4.
Unfortunately, techniques for the investigation of the electronic properties of condensed matter at Giga-Pascal pressures are rare, with x-ray or DC resistance measurements leading the way5. In particular, the detection of electronic or nuclear magnetic moments with electron spin (ESR) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, is bound to be almost impossible to implement in a typical high-pressure anvil cells where one needs to retrieve the signal from a tiny volume enshrined by anvils and a sealing gasket.
Several groups have tried to solve this problem by using complex arrangements, e.g., two split-pair radio-frequency (RF) coils wound along the flanks of the anvils6; a single or double loop hair-pin resonator7,8; or even a split rhenium gasket as a RF pick-up coil9, see Figure 1. Unfortunately, those approaches still suffered from a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), limiting the experimental applications to large-&#947; nuclei such as 1H10. The interested reader may be referred to other high-pressure resonant tank circuit experiments11&#8211;15. Pravica and Silvera16 report the highest pressure achieved in an anvil cell for NMR with 12.8 GPa, who studied the ortho-para conversion of hydrogen.
With great interest in applying NMR to study the properties of quantum solids, our group was interested in having NMR available at high pressures, as well. Finally, in 2009 it could be demonstrated that high-sensitivity anvil cell NMR is indeed possible if a resonating radio-frequency (RF) micro-coil is placed directly in the high-pressure cavity enclosing the sample17. In such an approach, the NMR sensitivity is improved by several orders of magnitude (mostly due to the dramatic increase in filling factor of the RF coil), which made even more challenging NMR experiments possible, e.g.,17O NMR on powder samples of a high-temperature superconductor at up to 7 GPa18. Superconductivity in these materials can be greatly amplified by the application of pressure, and it is now possible to follow this process with a local electronic probe that promises fundamental insight into the governing processes. Another example for the power of NMR under high pressure emerged from what were believed to be routine referencing experiments: in order to test the introduced new anvil cell NMR, one of the best known materials was measured &#8211; simple aluminum metal. As the pressure was increased, an unexpected deviation of the NMR shift from what one would expect for a free-electron system was found. Repeated experiments, also under increased pressures, showed that the new results were indeed reliable. Finally, with band structure calculations it was then found that the results are the manifestation of a topological transition of the Fermi surface of aluminum, which could not be detected by calculations years ago, when the computing power was low. Extrapolation of the findings to ambient conditions showed that the properties of this metal that is used almost everywhere are influenced by this special electronic condition.
In order to pursue a number of different applications specially designed anvil cells (previous cells had been imported from the Cavendish Laboratory and retrofitted for NMR) have been developed. Currently, the used home-built chassis are capable of reaching pressures up to 25 GPa using a pair of 800 &#181;m culet 6H-SiC anvils. NMR experiments were successfully conducted up to 10.1 GPa, so far. The NMR performance of this new cells was shown to be excellent19. The main component is Titanium-Aluminum(6)-Vanadium(4) with an extra low interstitial level (grade 23), providing a yield strength of about 800 MPa20. Due to its non-magnetic properties (the magnetic susceptibility &#967; is about 5 ppm) it is an adequate material for the anvil cell chassis. The overall dimensions of the introduced cells (see Figure 2 for an overview of all home-built anvil cell designs) are small enough to fit into regular standard bore NMR magnets. The smallest design, the LAC-TM1, which is only 20 mm in height and 17 mm in diameter, fits also typical small, cold-bore magnets (30 mm bore diameter). The LAC-TM2, which is the latest chassis the authors designed, uses four M4 Allen countersink bolts (made out of the same alloy as the cell chassis) as pressure driving mechanism, allowing for a smooth control of the internal pressure (blue prints attached in supplementary section).
Typically, diamond anvils are used in order to generate highest pressures of above 100 GPa. Xu and Mao21&#8211;23 have demonstrated that moissanite anvils provide a cost effective alternative in high-pressure research, up to pressures of about 60 GPa. Therefore, moissanite anvils were used for the introduced GPa NMR approach. The best results were achieved with customized large-cone 6H-SiC anvils from the anvil department of Charles &#38; Colvard. With those cells, for pressures up to 10.1 GPa, the use of 800 &#181;m culet anvils was found to result in very good NMR sensitivity. For comparison, Lee et al. report a SNR of 1 for 1H NMR of tap water, while the SNR of the introduced micro-coil approach showed a value of 25 for 1/7 of their volume, even at a somewhat lower magnetic field.
With this new approach to high-sensitivity anvil cell NMR one can pursue many applications that promise exciting new insight into the physics and chemistry of modern materials. However, as always, sensitivity and resolution ultimately limit the application of NMR, in particular, if one is interested in much higher pressures that demand smaller culet sizes. Then, one has not only to optimize the cell design with even smaller RF coils, but also think about methods for increasing nuclear polarization.

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high-sensitivity nuclear magnetic resonance at giga-pascal pressures: a new tool for probing electronic and chemical properties of condensed matter under extreme conditions

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is one of the most important techniques for the study of condensed matter systems, their chemical structure, and their electronic properties. The application of high pressure enables one to synthesize new materials, but the response of known materials to high pressure is a very useful tool for studying their electronic structure and developing theories. For example, high-pressure synthesis might be at the origin of life; and understanding the behavior of small molecules under extreme pressure will tell us more about fundamental processes in our universe. It is no wonder that there has always been great interest in having NMR available at high pressures. Unfortunately, the desired pressures are often well into the Giga-Pascal (GPa) range and require special anvil cell devices where only very small, secluded volumes are available. This has restricted the use of NMR almost entirely in the past, and only recently, a new approach to high-sensitivity GPa NMR, which has a resonating micro-coil inside the sample chamber, was put forward. This approach enables us to achieve high sensitivity with experiments that bring the power of NMR to Giga-Pascal pressure condensed matter research. First applications, the detection of a topological electronic transition in ordinary aluminum metal and the closing of the pseudo-gap in high-temperature superconductivity, show the power of such an approach. Meanwhile, the range of achievable pressures was increased tremendously with a new generation of anvil cells (up to 10.1 GPa), that fit standard-bore NMR magnets. This approach might become a new, important tool for the investigation of many condensed matter systems, in chemistry, geochemistry, and in physics, since we can now watch structural changes with the eyes of a very versatile probe.

Figure 3 shows how the completely assembled pressure cell, the wiring, and the mounting onto a typical NMR probe look like. In the following, several experiments will be reviewed which should enable the reader to gather a broad overview about the benefits and limits of the introduced technique.
<img alt="Figure 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/52243/52243fig1highres.jpg" /> 
Figure 1.&#160;Various Approaches for high pressure NMR: (A...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extr

High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extreme Conditions

Nuclear magnetic resonance is one of the most important spectroscopic tools. Here, the development of a new approach under high pressure, currently up to 10.1 GPa, is presented. This opens a new window into condensed matter physics and chemistry, where high-pressure research is of great importance.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is one of the most important techniques for the study of condensed matter systems, their chemical structure, and their ...

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Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

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11.5K Views.  University of Leipzig. Nuclear magnetic resonance is one of the most important spectroscopic tools. Here, the development of a new approach under high pressure, currently up to 10.1 GPa, is presented. This opens a new window into condensed matter physics and chemistry, where high-pressure research is of great importance.

Video: High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extreme Conditions

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) suffer from intrinsic low sensitivity because even strong external magnetic fields of ~10 T generate only a small detectable net-magnetization of the sample at room temperature 1. Hence, most NMR and MRI applications rely on the detection of molecules at relative high concentration (e.g., water for imaging of biological tissue) or require excessive acquisition times. This limits our ability to exploit the very useful molecular specificity of NMR signals for many biochemical and medical applications. However, novel approaches have emerged in the past few years: Manipulation of the detected spin species prior to detection inside the NMR/MRI magnet can dramatically increase the magnetization and therefore allows detection of molecules at much lower concentration 2.
Here, we present a method for polarization of a xenon gas mixture (2-5% Xe, 10% N2, He balance) in a compact setup with a ca. 16000-fold signal enhancement. Modern line-narrowed diode lasers allow efficient polarization 7 and immediate use of gas mixture even if the noble gas is not separated from the other components. The SEOP apparatus is explained and determination of the achieved spin polarization is demonstrated for performance control of the method.
The hyperpolarized gas can be used for void space imaging, including gas flow imaging or diffusion studies at the interfaces with other materials 8,9. Moreover, the Xe NMR signal is extremely sensitive to its molecular environment 6. This enables the option to use it as an NMR/MRI contrast agent when dissolved in aqueous solution with functionalized molecular hosts that temporarily trap the gas 10,11. Direct detection and high-sensitivity indirect detection of such constructs is demonstrated in both spectroscopic and imaging mode.

The production of hyperpolarized xenon by means of spin exchange optical pumping (SEOP) is described. This method yields a ~10000-fold enhancement of the nuclear spin polarization of Xe-129 and has applications in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. Examples of gas phase and solution state experiments are given.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) suffer from intrinsic low sensitivity because even strong external magnetic fields of ~10 ...

Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures

High pressure compounds and polymorphs are investigated for a broad range of purposes such as determine structures and processes of deep planetary interiors, design materials with novel properties, understand the mechanical behavior of materials exposed to very high stresses as in explosions or impacts. Synthesis and structural analysis of materials at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature entails remarkable technical challenges. In the laser heated diamond anvil cell (LH-DAC), very high pressure is generated between the tips of two opposing diamond anvils forced against each other; focused infrared laser beams, shined through the diamonds, allow to reach very high temperatures on samples absorbing the laser radiation. When the LH-DAC is installed in a synchrotron beamline that provides extremely brilliant x-ray radiation, the structure of materials under extreme conditions can be probed in situ. LH-DAC samples, although very small, can show highly variable grain size, phase and chemical composition. In order to obtain the high resolution structural analysis and the most comprehensive characterization of a sample, we collect diffraction data in 2D grids and combine powder, single crystal and multigrain diffraction techniques. Representative results obtained in the synthesis of a new iron oxide, Fe4O5 1 will be shown.

The laser heated diamond anvil cell combined with synchrotron micro-diffraction techniques allows researchers to explore the nature and properties of new phases of matter at extreme pressure and temperature (PT) conditions. Heterogeneous samples can be characterized in situ under high pressure by 2D mapping and combined powder, single-crystal and multigrain diffraction approaches.

High pressure compounds and polymorphs are investigated for a broad range of purposes such as determine structures and processes of deep planetary ...

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

A planetary interior is under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions and it has a layered structure. There are two important processes that led to that layered structure, (1) percolation of liquid metal in a solid silicate matrix by planet differentiation, and (2) inner core crystallization by subsequent planet cooling. We conduct high-pressure and high-temperature experiments to simulate both processes in the laboratory. Formation of percolative planetary core depends on the efficiency of melt percolation, which is controlled by the dihedral (wetting) angle. The percolation simulation includes heating the sample at high pressure to a target temperature at which iron-sulfur alloy is molten while the silicate remains solid, and then determining the true dihedral angle to evaluate the style of liquid migration in a crystalline matrix by 3D visualization. The 3D volume rendering is achieved by slicing the recovered sample with a focused ion beam (FIB) and taking SEM image of each slice with a FIB/SEM crossbeam instrument. The second set of experiments is designed to understand the inner core crystallization and element distribution between the liquid outer core and solid inner core by determining the melting temperature and element partitioning at high pressure. The melting experiments are conducted in the multi-anvil apparatus up to 27 GPa and extended to higher pressure in the diamond-anvil cell with laser-heating. We have developed techniques to recover small heated samples by precision FIB milling and obtain high-resolution images of the laser-heated spot that show melting texture at high pressure. By analyzing the chemical compositions of the coexisting liquid and solid phases, we precisely determine the liquidus curve, providing necessary data to understand the inner core crystallization process.

The high-pressure and high-temperature experiments described here mimic planet interior differentiation processes. The processes are visualized and better understood by high-resolution 3D imaging and quantitative chemical analysis.

A planetary interior is under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions and it has a layered structure. There are two important processes that led to ...

Dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Instrumentation for Real-time Enzymatic Reaction Rate Measurements by NMR

The main limitation of NMR-based investigations is low sensitivity. This prompts for long acquisition times, thus preventing real-time NMR measurements of metabolic transformations. Hyperpolarization via dissolution DNP circumvents part of the sensitivity issues thanks to the large out-of-equilibrium nuclear magnetization stemming from the electron-to-nucleus spin polarization transfer. The high NMR signal obtained can be used to monitor chemical reactions in real time. The downside of hyperpolarized NMR resides in the limited time window available for signal acquisition, which is usually on the order of the nuclear spin longitudinal relaxation time constant, T1, or, in favorable cases, on the order of the relaxation time constant associated with the singlet-state of coupled nuclei, TLLS. Cellular uptake of endogenous molecules and metabolic rates can provide essential information on tumor development and drug response. Numerous previous hyperpolarized NMR studies have demonstrated the relevancy of pyruvate as a metabolic substrate for monitoring enzymatic activity in vivo. This work provides a detailed description of the experimental setup and methods required for the study of enzymatic reactions, in particular the pyruvate-to-lactate conversion rate in presence of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), by hyperpolarized NMR.

The sensitivity enhancement provided by dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enables following metabolic processes in real time by NMR and MRI. The characteristics and performances of a dedicated dissolution DNP setup designed for study enzymatic reactions are discussed.

The main limitation of NMR-based investigations is low sensitivity. This prompts for long acquisition times, thus preventing real-time NMR measurements of ...

Chemistry

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus

In order to address geological processes at great depths, rock deformation should ideally be tested at high pressure (&#62; 0.5 GPa) and high temperature (&#62; 300 &#176;C). However, because of the low stress resolution of current solid-pressure-medium apparatuses, high-resolution measurements are today restricted to low-pressure deformation experiments in the gas-pressure-medium apparatus. A new generation of solid-medium piston-cylinder (&#34;Griggs-type&#34;) apparatus is here described. Able to perform high-pressure deformation experiments up to 5 GPa and designed to adapt an internal load cell, such a new apparatus offers the potential to establish a technological basis for high-pressure rheology. This paper provides video-based detailed documentation of the procedure (using the &#34;conventional&#34; solid-salt assembly) to perform high-pressure, high-temperature experiments with the newly designed Griggs-type apparatus. A representative result of a Carrara marble sample deformed at 700 &#176;C, 1.5 GPa and 10-5 s-1 with the new press is also given. The related stress-time curve illustrates all steps of a Griggs-type experiment, from increasing pressure and temperature to sample quenching when deformation is stopped. Together with future developments, the critical steps and limitations of the Griggs apparatus are then discussed.

Rock deformation needs to be quantified at high pressure. A description of the procedure to perform deformation experiments in a newly designed solid-medium Griggs-type apparatus is here given. This provides technological basis for future rheological studies at pressures up to 5 GPa.

In order to address geological processes at great depths, rock deformation should ideally be tested at high pressure (&#62; 0.5 GPa) and high temperature ...

Environment

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2

In this report we describe detailed procedures for carrying out single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments with a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at the GSECARS 13-BM-C beamline at the Advanced Photon Source. The DAC program at 13-BM-C is part of the Partnership for Extreme Xtallography (PX^2) project. BX-90 type DACs with conical-type diamond anvils and backing plates are recommended for these experiments. The sample chamber should be loaded with noble gas to maintain a hydrostatic pressure environment. The sample is aligned to the rotation center of the diffraction goniometer. The MARCCD area detector is calibrated with a powder diffraction pattern from LaB6. The sample diffraction peaks are analyzed with the ATREX software program, and are then indexed with the RSV software program. RSV is used to refine the UB matrix of the single crystal, and with this information and the peak prediction function, more diffraction peaks can be located. Representative single crystal diffraction data from an omphacite (Ca0.51Na0.48)(Mg0.44Al0.44Fe2+0.14Fe3+0.02)Si2O6 sample were collected. Analysis of the data gave a monoclinic lattice with P2/n space group at 0.35 GPa, and the lattice parameters were found to be: a = 9.496 &#177;0.006 &#197;, b = 8.761 &#177;0.004 &#197;, c = 5.248 &#177;0.001 &#197;, &#946; = 105.06 &#177;0.03&#186;, &#945; = &#947; = 90&#186;.

In this report, we describe detailed procedures for carrying out single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments with a diamond anvil cell at the GSECARS 13-BM-C beamline at the Advanced Photon Source. ATREX and RSV programs are used to analyze the data.

In this report we describe detailed procedures for carrying out single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments with a diamond anvil cell (DAC) at the ...

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

We demonstrate the use of two nuclear-based analytical methods that can follow the modifications of microstructural arrangement of iron-based metallic glasses (MGs). Despite their amorphous nature, the identification of hyperfine interactions unveils faint structural modifications. For this purpose, we have employed two techniques that utilize nuclear resonance among nuclear levels of a stable 57Fe isotope, namely M&#246;ssbauer spectrometry and nuclear forward scattering (NFS) of synchrotron radiation. The effects of heat treatment upon (Fe2.85Co1)77Mo8Cu1B14 MG are discussed using the results of ex situ and in situ experiments, respectively. As both methods are sensitive to hyperfine interactions, information on structural arrangement as well as on magnetic microstructure is readily available. M&#246;ssbauer spectrometry performed ex situ describes how the structural arrangement and magnetic microstructure appears at room temperature after the annealing under certain conditions (temperature, time), and thus this technique inspects steady states. On the other hand, NFS data are recorded in situ during dynamically changing temperature and NFS examines transient states. The use of both techniques provides complementary information. In general, they can be applied to any suitable system in which it is important to know its steady state but also transient states.

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Here, we present a protocol to describe ex situ and in situ investigations of structural transformations in metallic glasses. We employed nuclear-based analytical methods which inspect hyperfine interactions. We demonstrate the applicability of M&#246;ssbauer spectrometry and nuclear forward scattering of synchrotron radiation during temperature-driven experiments.

We demonstrate the use of two nuclear-based analytical methods that can follow the modifications of microstructural arrangement of iron-based metallic ...

High-Pressure NMR Experiments for Detecting Protein Low-Lying Conformational States

High-pressure is a well-known perturbation method that can be used to destabilize globular proteins and dissociate protein complexes in a reversible manner. Hydrostatic pressure drives thermodynamical equilibria toward the state(s) with the lower molar volume. Increasing pressure offers, therefore, the opportunities to finely tune the stability of globular proteins and the oligomerization equilibria of protein complexes. High-pressure NMR experiments allow a detailed characterization of the factors governing the stability of globular proteins, their folding mechanisms, and oligomerization mechanisms by combining the fine stability tuning ability of pressure perturbation and the site resolution offered by solution NMR spectroscopy. Here we present a protocol to probe the local folding stability of a protein via a set of 2D 1H-15N experiments recorded from 1 bar to 2.5 kbar. The steps required for the acquisition and analysis of such experiments are illustrated with data acquired on the RRM2 domain of hnRNPA1.

We provide a detailed description of the steps required to assemble a high-pressure cell, set up and record high-pressure NMR experiments, and finally analyze both peak intensity and chemical shift changes under pressure. These experiments can provide valuable insights into the folding pathways and structural stability of proteins.

High-pressure is a well-known perturbation method that can be used to destabilize globular proteins and dissociate protein complexes in a reversible ...

Biochemistry

An Externally-Heated Diamond Anvil Cell for Synthesis and Single-Crystal Elasticity Determination of Ice-VII at High Pressure-Temperature Conditions

The externally-heated diamond anvil cell (EHDAC) can be used to generate simultaneously high-pressure and high-temperature conditions found in Earth&#8217;s and planetary interiors. Here we describe the design and fabrication of the EHDAC assemblies and accessories, including ring resistive heaters, thermal and electrical insulating layers, thermocouple placement, as well as the experimental protocol for preparing the EHDAC using these parts. The EHDAC can be routinely used to generate megabar pressures and up to 900 K temperatures in open air, and potentially higher temperatures up to ~1200 K with a protective atmosphere (i.e., Ar mixed with 1% H2). Compared with a laser-heating method for reaching temperatures typically &#62;1100 K, external heating can be easily implemented and provide a more stable temperature at &#8804;900 K and less temperature gradients to the sample. We showcased the application of the EHDAC for synthesis of single crystal ice-VII and studied its single-crystal elastic properties using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and Brillouin scattering at simultaneously high-pressure high-temperature conditions.

This work focuses on the standard protocol for preparing the externally-heated diamond anvil cell (EHDAC) for generating high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) conditions. The EHDAC is employed to investigate materials in Earth and planetary interiors under extreme conditions, which can be also used in solid state physics and chemistry studies.

The externally-heated diamond anvil cell (EHDAC) can be used to generate simultaneously high-pressure and high-temperature conditions found in ...

High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy represents an important technique to understand the structure and bonding environments of molecules. There exists a drive to characterize materials under conditions relevant to the chemical process of interest. To address this, in situ high-temperature, high-pressure MAS NMR methods have been developed to enable the observation of chemical interactions over a range of pressures (vacuum to several hundred bar) and temperatures (well below 0 &#176;C to 250 &#176;C). Further, the chemical identity of the samples can be comprised of solids, liquids, and gases or mixtures of the three. The method incorporates all-zirconia NMR rotors (sample holder for MAS NMR) which can be sealed using a threaded cap to compress an O-ring. This rotor exhibits great chemical resistance, temperature compatibility, low NMR background, and can withstand high pressures. These combined factors enable it to be utilized in a wide range of system combinations, which in turn permit its use in diverse fields as carbon sequestration, catalysis, material science, geochemistry, and biology. The flexibility of this technique makes it an attractive option for scientists from numerous disciplines.

The molecular structures and dynamics of solids, liquids, gases, and mixtures are of critical interest to diverse scientific fields. High-temperature, high-pressure in situ MAS NMR enables detection of the chemical environment of constituents in mixed phase systems under tightly controlled chemical environments.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy represents an important technique to understand the structure and bonding environments of molecules. There ...

High-Sensitivity Nuclear Magnetic Resonance at Giga-Pascal Pressures: A New Tool for Probing Electronic and Chemical Properties of Condensed Matter under Extreme Conditions

Summary

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Chapters in this video

Hyperpolarized Xenon for NMR and MRI Applications

Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

Dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Instrumentation for Real-time Enzymatic Reaction Rate Measurements by NMR

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

High-Pressure NMR Experiments for Detecting Protein Low-Lying Conformational States

An Externally-Heated Diamond Anvil Cell for Synthesis and Single-Crystal Elasticity Determination of Ice-VII at High Pressure-Temperature Conditions

High-Temperature and High-Pressure In situ Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy