Silicon Valley's new NMR service

Delving into the molecular scale of metrology, the Silicon Valley based provider of analytical services Covalent Metrology has acquired a new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer. The machine in question is JEOL’s JNM-ECZL-500 and ranks Covalent among only a handful of materials science characterization labs in North America to offer NMR analysis as a service. The new NMR will increase working speed for Covalent, as well as improving their flexibility in material analysis in a range of industries such as batteries, polymers, and carbon-capture materials.

On the process of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Covalent explains:

“NMR is a non-destructive spectroscopic technique that provides atomic-level information on various compounds. It is routinely used to determine molecular structure, quantitatively analyze mixtures, and study diffusion. With NMR, one can probe reaction kinetics, characterize dynamic structural transitions, and study intermolecular interactions. The JNM-ECZL-500 delivers these ranged capabilities with high performance and gives more experimental control and flexibility than ever.”

With the new machine, Covalent can now analyse materials in a considerable temperature range of between -70°C and 200°C. Using JEOL’s exclusive ROSY method on its MAS probes, they are now also able for the first time to offer solid-state mixture analysis. Both liquid and solid samples can be analysed with JEOL’s latest-generation solid- and solution-state probes.

"Covalent is the first commercial lab to offer both solid-state and diffusion-probe NMR services. With this new spectrometer, our clients will be able to glean deeper insights into their advanced materials and devices, using methods that would otherwise be impossible to obtain outside a university lab," said Yihung Lin, Ph.D., Vice President of the Analytical Services Group at Covalent Metrology, "The JNM-ECZL-500 is exactly the tool we need to meet the unique material design challenges of our clients – especially those working with batteries, polymers, and carbon-capture materials."