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Department of Chemistry
NMR Spectroscopy

NMR spektrometers at UiB

The Department of Chemistry has three operational high-field NMR-spectrometers in addition to a 60 MHz benchtop spectrometer.

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The three high-field spectrometers are located in the NNP building and are part of the Norwegian NMR Platform (NNP). Meanwhile, the 60 MHz benchtop instrument is located at the science building. The spectrometers are:

  • 850 MHz: For biomolecules, time consuming experiments, and high resolution.
  • 600 MHz: Walk-up instrument for routin liquid-state NMR.
  • 500 MHz: Wide-bore spectrometer. Used for solid-state, imaging, and diffusion.
  • 60 MHz: Benctop spectrometer.

850 MHz

850 MHz AVANCE III HD spectrometer from Bruker BioSpin. The 850 MHz magnet is the core spectrometer of the NNP (Norwegian NMR platform) project, financed by The Research Council of Norway. Its installation was done by May 2016. It will have a key role to greatly enhance the reach and impact of a range of research areas by giving them an entirely new capability: access to explore much larger molecules than current equipment allows (using the TROSY-effect on proteins in particular). Moreover, research needing to identify low-concentration metabolites or other substances will also gain immensely from the enhanced sensitivity and resolution power of the new instruments.

The instrument is equipped with a 1H/13C/15N TCI triple-resonance CryoProbe. In addition an automatic sample changer (SampleJet) is available for 5x96 tubes (refridgerated, in 5 racks) + 30 positions at room temperature.

600 MHz

600 MHz AVANCE NEO spectrometer from Bruker BioSpin. The new 600 MHz instrument was installed in November 2017 at the NNP building next to the 850 MHz, and it replaced the aging AV600 which was located in Realfagsbygget. This instrument was financed by Bergen forskningsstiftelse, Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane, Helse Bergen, and University of Bergen. The spectrometer has a versetile role, and is used for everything from organic chemistry to metabolomics and structural biology.

The instrument is equipped with a cryogenic probe with four RF channels (1H, 13C, 15N, and 31P). It also has the new generation of electronics (NEO), featuring improved dynamic range, faster control and scalability. The automatic sample changer (SampleJet) has five racks for 96 tubes, where the temperature can be set individual for each rack. In addition, it has room for 96 standard length NMR tubes at room temperature.

500 MHz

500 MHz wide-bore AVANCE III HD spectrometer from Bruker BioSpin. This instrument is tailored for solid-state NMR, micro-imaging and diffusion. The following probeheads are available:

  • Triple-resonance CP-MAS (Magic Angle Spinning) probehead 1H/13C/15N, and additional RF inserts (1H/31P/23Na-29Si), for both 4 mm and 2.5 mm rotors.
    • Double resonance modes: 13C/31P; 15N/13C
    • Triple resonance modes: 31P/29Si-65Cu; 13C/15N-2H
    • 1H channel on the 4mm MAS probe is tunable to 19F. This option will soon be available also for the 2.5mm MAS probe.
  • Triple-resonance flat-coil probehead (1H/13C/15N) with a 31P switch (13C-31P switch), for NMR studies on oriented samples.
  • MICWB40 micro-imaging probehead, with selective 1H RF insert, and double-tuned 1H/X RF insert (on several diameters). MICRO2.5 gradient system (2.5 G/cm/A) with amplifiers (X,Y,Z) 2xGREAT -60 (60A). Using ParaVision for multi-dimensional MRI/MRS data acquisition, reconstruction, analysis, and visualization.
  • Variable-temperature Diffusion probehead with Z-gradient: BBI 500W2/S4 H&F-BB-D-05 DIFF.

The instrument was puchased by UiB as part of the Norwegian NMR Platform, and it was installed in the autumn of 2015.

60 MHz

The NMR museum

On the third floor of Realfagbygget there is a small museum exhibit, consisting of two older NMR spectrometers:

  • A Bruker DPX 400 MHz spectrometer. It was discharged on May 20th 2015
  • A 200-MHz magnet 

In addition, the following spectrometers (not a complete list) have been used at the department:

  • Bruker Avance 500 MHz, quenched in 2022.
  • Bruker DRX 600 MHz
  • JEOL JNM-C-60H, the first NMR spectrometer at UiB, installed in 1967.