Kobayashi, T., et al., Improved strategies for DNP-enhanced 2D 1H-X heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy of surfaces. Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, 2017. 87: p. 38-44.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssnmr.2017.08.002
We demonstrate that dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-enhanced 1H-X heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) measurements of hydrogen-rich surface species are better accomplished by using proton-free solvents. This approach notably prevents HETCOR spectra from being obfuscated by the solvent-derived signals otherwise present in DNP measurements. Additionally, in the hydrogen-rich materials studied here, which included functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles and metal organic frameworks, the use of proton-free solvents afforded higher sensitivity gains than the commonly used solvents containing protons. We also explored the possibility of using a solvent-free sample formulation and the feasibility of indirect detection in DNP-enhanced HETCOR experiments.