EPR NRF Core Equipment Bid

EPR NRF核心设备招标

• 批准号: EP/V035231/1
• 负责人: David Collison
• 金额: $ 56.64万
• 依托单位: University of Manchester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FV035231%2F1
• 关键词: EPR; NRF; Core; Equipment; Bid

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, also known as Electron Spin Resonance (ESR), is possibly the most powerful technique for characterisation of paramagnetic materials, i.e. that contain unpaired electrons. Unpaired electrons give rise to the magnetic and electronic properties of materials and often govern reactivity when present, hence understanding their environment and behaviour is important. Paramagnets are ubiquitous from biological processes to magnetic materials; hence EPR is an essential tool in physics, chemistry, materials and biological sciences.The EPSRC funds a National Research Facility (NRF) for EPR, located in the Photon Science Institute (PSI) at The University of Manchester (UoM), providing access to state-of-the art experimental techniques and expertise for the UK academic community. Crudely, there are two ways to do EPR spectroscopy: continuous wave (cw) EPR and pulsed EPR, which give complementary information. Pulsed EPR is a much higher resolution technique (allowing measurement of much weaker interactions involving the unpaired electron) and also gives access to time-resolved information. However, such experiments are often very slow, requiring long data collection to get acceptable signal-to-noise (e.g. due to low paramagnet concentration) and/or a wide range of experimental conditions (e.g. different applied magnetic fields, or timings of the experiment). It is common for an experiment on a single sample to last a week of continuous measurement. As a consequence, the two pulsed EPR spectrometers that the EPR NRF currently runs are by far and away the most over-subscribed pieces of instrumentation.There is currently a second EPR facility at the UoM, based in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), which houses a pulsed spectrometer that was commissioned in 2009. Here we are proposing to expand the capacity and capability of the EPR NRF by upgrading the MIB spectrometer and relocating and incorporating it into the NRF in the PSI. This upgrade and relocation will enhance the capacity for pulsed EPR in the NRF by 50% at minimal cost. Almost all pulsed EPR needs to be performed at low temperatures, requiring liquid helium cooling. Helium is an expensive and finite resource. The second part of the proposal is to install a closed-system cryogen-free cryostat to the upgraded instrument, allowing continuous measurement down to a base temperature of <2 K. This is lower than we can currently reach at X-band, which will enable study of a wider range of materials. It will also almost entirely remove the need for liquid helium in the NRF. The new complete spectrometer system will increase the capacity for pulsed EPR for all users of the NRF across the UK, including ECRs and doctoral students, and the new capability will widen the user base. Finally, the new kit will enable us to expand our regular training workshops because attendee numbers are limited by spectrometer access.To contact the National EPR Facility and Service, please email: [e-mail]

电子顺磁共振 (EPR) 光谱，也称为电子自旋共振 (ESR)，可能是表征顺磁性材料（即包含不成对电子的顺磁性材料）的最强大的技术。不成对的电子会产生材料的磁性和电子特性，并且在存在时通常控制反应性，因此了解它们的环境和行为非常重要。从生物过程到磁性材料，顺磁体无处不在。因此，EPR 是物理、化学、材料和生物科学中的重要工具。EPSRC 资助了一个 EPR 国家研究设施 (NRF)，该设施位于曼彻斯特大学 (UoM) 的光子科学研究所 (PSI)，提供英国学术界最先进的实验技术和专业知识。粗略地说，有两种方法可以进行 EPR 光谱：连续波 (cw) EPR 和脉冲 EPR，它们提供了互补的信息。脉冲 EPR 是一种分辨率更高的技术（可以测量涉及不成对电子的较弱相互作用），并且还可以获取时间分辨信息。然而，此类实验通常非常缓慢，需要长时间的数据收集才能获得可接受的信噪比（例如，由于顺磁体浓度低）和/或广泛的实验条件（例如不同的应用磁场或实验时间） ）。对单个样品进行的实验持续一周的连续测量是很常见的。因此，EPR NRF 目前运行的两台脉冲 EPR 光谱仪无疑是最超额订购的仪器。目前，密歇根大学还有第二个 EPR 设施，位于曼彻斯特生物技术研究所 (MIB) ，其中装有一台于 2009 年投入使用的脉冲光谱仪。在这里，我们建议通过升级 MIB 光谱仪并将其重新安置并纳入 EPR NRF 来扩大 EPR NRF 的容量和能力。 PSI 中的 NRF。此次升级和搬迁将以最低的成本将 NRF 的脉冲 EPR 容量提高 50%。几乎所有脉冲 EPR 都需要在低温下进行，需要液氦冷却。氦气是一种昂贵且有限的资源。该提案的第二部分是在升级后的仪器中安装一个封闭系统的无制冷剂低温恒温器，允许连续测量低至 <2 K 的基础温度。这低于我们目前在 X 波段可以达到的温度，这将能够研究更广泛的材料。它还将几乎完全消除 NRF 对液氦的需求。新的完整光谱仪系统将提高英国 NRF 所有用户（包括 ECR 和博士生）的脉冲 EPR 能力，新功能将扩大用户群。最后，新套件将使我们能够扩大我们的定期培训研讨会，因为参加人数受到光谱仪访问的限制。要联系国家 EPR 设施和服务，请发送电子邮件至：[e-mail]