700 MHz TXI Cryoprobe Spectrometer - 'Arran' - Room B14
This research instrument is situated in B14, a room which was created out of an old workshop! At the present time, it is the largest magnet that the department can accomodate. The magnet itself is an impressive sight (see below) standing 12 feet tall, and weighing in at a massive 3 tonnes when full of liquid Nitrogen and Helium (which it can drink a lot of!). Couple this impressive field strength with the sensitivity of a cryoprobe and the results can be spectacular. The cryoprobe fitted to this instrument is a Triple Resonance Inverse (TXI) type - with excellent sensitivity for proton acquisition. This makes it ideally suitable for small molecule characterisation where the TCI 500 spectrometer does not offer sufficient resolution or sensitivity. The third channel dedicated to Nitrogen makes this a vital tool in the armoury of our biological chemists. Due to the design of this type of probe, carbon acquisitions are not recommended - the Service DCH 500 Cryoprobe would be ideal for most 13C requirements. The instrument is fitted with a 60 position sample changer to enable a large number of samples to be run during an operating session. The system is operated by trained users and time is allocated in large blocks to allow for the lengthy nature of some protein experiments - there is a diary in the room which shows the rota for the instrument.
The picture above shows the Avance 700 in its environment, including the bespoke wooden staircase and platform that is a necessity with such a large magnet. The size of room it is housed in and the absence of a pit show the effectiveness of the Ultrashield technology that is now commonplace. NMR advances such as these help institutions and industry constantly challenge the boundaries, both scientifically and ergonomically!
The cryoprobe itself is also shown in detail (above) - the large cryocoupler is very noticeable, together with the substantial body of the probe and the strong mounting system to hold the considerable weight.