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Magnetic fields could lead to a cost-effective solution for recycling plastics.

New instrumentation allows electron magnetic resonance experiments to be performed in the lab’s flagship 36 T Series-Connected Hybrid magnet, unlocking exceptionally high-resolution EMR spectra at the highest magnetic fields.

Molecular fossils of chlorophyll (called porphyrins) more than 1.1 billion years old find suggest that photosynthesis began 600 million years earlier than previously established.

A new method to characterize crude oil corrosion shows that corrosion in acidic crude oils depends on the specific structures of the acid molecules, information that can help improve oil valuation and refining.

Road asphalt is made from aggregate (rocks) mixed with a "binder” from the residue remaining after extraction of gasoline and oils from petroleum crude oil. Until recently, this binder was thought to be chemically unreactive. Maglab scientists subjected a thin film of asphalt binder to simulated sunlight in the laboratory and used ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry to reveal thousands of new, water-soluble chemicals that could be released into the environment by rainfall.

Researchers share new insights on the role of seasonality in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in large Arctic rivers. Researchers share new insights on the role of seasonality in dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition in large Arctic rivers. 

New research shows that high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in coal tar pavement sealants are oxidized into toxic, water-soluble compounds by sunlight and subsequently washed into the environment by rainwater, polluting natural water systems, negatively impacting marine ecosystems and public health. 

The 21 T FT-ICR mass spectrometer identified four times the number of species in natural organic matter than lower magnetic field systems, providing a molecular catalogue to a widely-used standard reference material.

Identification of toxic compounds in drinking water formed through disinfection reveals more than 3500 toxic, chlorinated species that can only be observed by the MagLab's high powered analytical instruments.

The 21T FT-ICR MS instrument enables the molecular characterization of atmospheric hazes - like that on Saturn’s moon, Titan - and water vapor to better understand the evolution of biological molecules in exoplanet atmospheres. 

MagLab researchers use 21 tesla ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) mass spectrometry to identify the best way to produce carbon fibers from petroleum waste products. The best carbon fibers are made from molecules that don’t contain sulfur or large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon structures, and these bad molecules can be converted to better precursors by mild thermal treatment.

Wildfires changes the chemical composition of molecules in soil, and only the 21T FT-ICR mass spectrometer can assess the molecular composition to understand the long term impact of wildfires on soil chemistry.

These include biological, environmental and petrochemical applications as well as analytical method development for FT-ICR mass spectrometry.

Combining high-field NMR with infrared microscopy, scientists learned more about how gas diffuses in a novel class of molecular sieves that could one day be used for gas separation.

For the first time, NMR diffusion measurements have been successfully used in a metallic catalyst, examining gas exchange rates in nanoporous gold. These findings helped determine an optimal process for efficiently catalyzing CO to CO₂ and may help make the catalyst more effective for industrial applications that reduce waste from power plants and refineries.

Solid oxide fuel cells generate clean energy by oxidizing green fuels like hydrogen and reducing atmospheric oxygen, without recharging or emissions that contribute to climate change. They use a fast ion conductor electrolyte to move oxygen ions between electrodes, converting chemical energy to power. Our research uses ⁷¹Ga solid-state NMR spectroscopy on the highest-field magnet in the world to study the numbers of oxygen ions near gallium atoms – this will inform the design of better electrolyte materials for fuel cells.

Combining new data with an existing MagLab dataset, researchers characterized the millions of unique chemicals found in our waterways, including both natural compounds formed by the decomposition of plant matter and man-made toxic pollutants. 

State-of-the-art ion cyclotron resonance magnet system offers researchers significantly more power and accuracy than ever before.

Martha Chacón-Patiño to jump-start collaboration that could advance both the treatment of cancer and the study of petroleum.

Vincent Salters joins the elite ranks of American Geophysical Union fellows.

Findings that “go against the textbooks” may improve biofuel production.

In findings that could shed light on current climate changes, researchers find conclusive evidence linking rising sea levels and lowering oxygen levels to decimation of marine species.

Using powerful instruments at the National MagLab, scientists discovered that older dissolved organics from deforested areas were more energy-rich, and potentially more harmful to the planet.

MagLab researchers show that exposure to sun and water causes thousands of chemicals to leach from roads into the environment.

Researchers believe the ocean oxygenation occurred over a few tens of thousands of years, a very brief period in Earth’s geological history.

Learn how the MagLab's high-field magnets are helping uncover the secrets of "forever chemicals."

Researchers reveal how carbohydrates form plant biomass, information that may lead to new biorenewable energy solutions. 

The MagLab and the Bruker Corporation have installed the world’s first 21 tesla magnet for Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry.

"We're opening up the world at a molecular level to understand how these fires are going to impact us."

The first mass spectrum from Fourier-Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance happened in December 1973. The co-inventor went on to build MagLab’s world-renowned program.

Fuel made from corn harvest waste would reduce greenhouse emissions by 70%.

Researchers at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory are working to learn more about predatory bacteria called BALOs and what role they could play, from the carbon cycle in our oceans to fighting infectious disease.

MagLab research works to find and catalog PFAS forever chemicals in our environment.

MagLab theoretical physicists uncovered unique properties of iron monoxide which may play a role in transferring heat from Earth’s core to the surface.

Thin, flexible, strong: MagLab research on the marvel of insect wings

Thanks to the MagLab’s expertise and unique instruments, a geochemist finds a treasure trove of oil-spill data buried beneath the sea.

Studying dissolved organic matter helps us better understand our diverse and changing planet.

Members of a sprawling science team piece together the puzzle of biochar, a promising tool in the fight against global warming.

Water samples collected from the heart of Africa contain clues about carbon cycling worldwide.

Florida scientists are helping coral protect itself against nitrogen overload.

Researchers talk about what they're doing outside the lab to protect our planet and how their training as scientists informs those efforts.

A deeper understanding of petroleum molecules is shedding a harsh light on how some of them behave in our environment.

Some manmade chemicals feature bonds so strong they could last forever. And that's a life-threatening problem.

A team of researchers pulls off a daring data caper in Delaware Bay, swiping secrets about the movement of molecules between air and water.

Used to perform complex chemical analysis, this magnet offers researchers the world's highest field for ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

A young chemist studying fracking fluid talks about what it's like when science hits close to home.

With determination, confidence and a top-notch team, this MagLab chemist exposed the complex secrets of crude oil, busting open a vast, new field.

Thanks to new funding, MagLab geochemist Jeremy Owens will learn more about ancient climate change, extinctions, oxygen levels, and new species to understand future climate impacts.