Exploring the vast potential of TD-NMR: a journey from academia to industry

3rd June 2024 | Author: Tatiana Monaretto

Embarking on a journey through academia, I never anticipated the profound impact that time-domain-NMR (TD-NMR) would have on my career. From my initial introduction during my master's and PhD in Brazil to my current role as a TD-NMR application scientist at Oxford Instruments, each step has been filled with exciting discoveries and challenges.

The Beginning

I discovered my passion for TD-NMR during my master's and PhD studies in Brazil. I was fortunate to have access to a diverse range of NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) facilities, including MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and NMR spectroscopy. However, it was TD-NMR that truly captured my heart. During my academic years, I had a lot of fun experimenting with various combinations of radio frequency pulses and developing new TD-NMR methods.

However, my postdoctoral experience in France marked a pivotal moment in my career trajectory. There, I had the privilege of collaborating closely with a national milk industry organisation, utilising TD-NMR to resolve issues in the milk acid gel draining process. This hands-on experience addressing real-world challenges ignited my passion for applying TD-NMR in industrial settings.

Transitioning to Industry

Motivated by my experiences, I made the leap from academia to industry, landing a role as a TD-NMR application scientist at Oxford Instruments. Here, I discovered the vast potential of TD-NMR applications far beyond what I had initially imagined. Although I still have a steep learning curve ahead, I relish the daily challenges of my role, which involve leveraging TD-NMR facilities to address diverse customer needs. It's a role I consider myself privileged to fulfil.

Exploring the TD-NMR facilities offered by Oxford Instruments (MQC family instruments) has been a fascinating journey. The user-friendly TD-NMR software facilitates many quality assurance and control applications, from determining the crop value of oilseeds to analysing the quality of vaccines in sealed vials.

Additionally, the wide range of TD-NMR methods and the Python interface make it a valuable asset for academic research.

Venturing into New Frontiers

As part of the Magnetic Resonance team, we are constantly on the lookout for new frontiers to explore, and I could not be more thrilled to be a part of it. The potential of TD-NMR is vast, and there are countless opportunities for discovery and exploration. For example, I have been evaluating different TD-NMR techniques for analysing the structure and properties of materials such as cosmetics and catalyst carriers. Currently, I am immersed in exploring polymer and Li+ battery applications, employing variable temperatures to gain deeper insights into their properties.

The incredible potential of TD-NMR in the battery industry is truly remarkable. Our recent findings have demonstrated that the T₂ distribution time (figure below) provides valuable insights into how variations in the mixing process impact the structural properties of slurry batteries. This underscores the power of T₂ distribution time as a tool for quality control and optimising the mixing process in the manufacturing process of ion battery cells.

Seeing this data, it’s clear that T₂ distributions are directly related to particle distributions, which, in this case, change with mixing time: The T₂ distribution has shorter values and fewer peaks for more homogeneous particle distributions (blue line —shorter mixing time).

Also, I eagerly anticipate my upcoming presentation at the prestigious MR Food conference in early June in Brazil! There, I will be sharing valuable insights into MQC to help develop and predict the sensory properties of plant-based meat (PBM) analogues. Check out this sneak peek of my upcoming talk! The following image gives you a glimpse into the T₂ distribution for plant-based analogues (from two brands available in the local market), revealing fascinating insights into water and lipid distribution that strongly impact sensory properties like juiciness.

Analysis of the T2 distributions reveals that the water molecules in PBM "b" are less mobile, indicating a tighter structure and less juiciness compared to PBM "a."

MRFood will be my inaugural conference presentation as an application scientist at Oxford Instruments. I can't wait to engage in fascinating discussions with my colleagues and discover the newest and most innovative applications of TD-NMR in food research.

So, be sure to keep an eye on our website; soon, application ideas for food, polymer, and batteries will be popping up!