Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
The ISAAC mobile lab is equipped with a custom made (Magritek LTD) portable unilateral NMR sensor with a permanent magnet geometry that generates a flat sensitive volume parallel to the scanner surface, at a field strength of 0.5 T. The system is contactless and can measure, over any surface area, non-invasively, proton density (e.g. moisture content), T2 NMR relaxation times as short as 15 ms, T1 NMR relaxation times, self-diffusion coefficient of liquids, and correlations between these parameters. The scanner produces one-dimensional profiles of any of these parameters in the sample structure in situ, as it is secured to a lift capable of step increments as small as 30 mm.
The Magritek NMR-MOUSE- MObile Universal Surface Explorer
Two NMR MOUSE units are available, one with a slice height at 5 mm and a newer one at a slice height of 2mm.
applications of NMR Spectroscopy
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monitoring the drying of varnish and paint
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direct measurement of thickness of varnish in various drying state to solid state and polymers, such as plastics.
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monitoring the porosity of rock
example heritage science projects
selected publications
This is a selection of our NMR publications. Our full publication list can be found here.
Bemand, E., Liang, H. and Bencsik, M., 2014. Non-Invasive Methods for In-Situ Assessing and Monitoring of the Vulnerability of Rock-Art Monuments. In: T. Darvill and A.P. Batarda Fernandes, eds., Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 244-258.
Bemand, E., Bencsik, M. and Liang, H., 2011. OCT and NMR for Non-Invasive In-Situ Monitoring of the Vulnerability of Rock Art Monuments. Proceedings of SPIE, 8084, 80840h