We introduce an improved variant of the C7 pulse-sequence for efficient recoupling of spin-1/2 pair dipolar interactions in magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The tolerance of C7 toward isotropic as well as anisotropic chemical shift offsets and rf inhomogeneity is improved considerably by replacing the original basic element Cφ44̄=(2π)φ(2π)φ+π with the cyclically permuted element Cφ14̄3=(π/2)φ(2π)φ+π(3π/2)φ. The improved performance of this permutationally offset stabilized variant of C7 is analyzed by average Hamiltonian theory to fifth order, numerical simulations, and demonstrated by experiments on powder samples of doubly 13C-labeled barium oxalate hemihydrate and diammonium fumarate.

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Crystallization of calcium carbonate, typically, progresses sequentially via metastable phases. Amorphous CaCO 3 (ACC) generally forms initially, both in vitro and in vivo, and is the precursor of the predominant anhydrous polymorphs (calcite, aragonite, and vaterite). [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] A new picture of the crystallization of calcium carbonate is emerging, which involves transformations of clusters to ACC and eventually to crystalline polymorphs. [14,15] This stepwise manner has implications for the understanding of biomineralization [16] and of crystallization. ACCs that contain additives display order over atomic length scales that are related to crystalline polymorphs; [1][2][3] ACC synthesized at high supersaturation levels without additives, [17][18][19][20] on the other hand, show no distinct short-range order. [21,22] Herein, we analyze proto-crystalline features of two amorphous intermediates, ACCI and ACCII, [15] and discuss their relevance for crystallization of CaCO 3 . We rationalize the identification of ACCI with pc-ACC (proto-calcite ACC) and ACCII with pv-ACC (proto-vaterite ACC), respectively. These ACCs were precipitated from metastable solutions of calcium carbonate at different pH values by destabilization in excess ethanol.TEM (Figure 1) reveals the ACCs as spherical particles with a diameter of approximately 20 nm. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data support this characteristic size

Articles you may be interested inEffective Floquet Hamiltonians for dipolar and quadrupolar coupled N-spin systems in solid state nuclear magnetic resonance under magic angle spinning Some general principles of radio-frequency pulse sequence design in magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance are discussed. Sequences with favorable dipolar recoupling properties may be designed using synchronous helical modulations of the space and spin parts of the spin Hamiltonian. The selection rules for the average Hamiltonian may be written in terms of three symmetry numbers, two defining the winding numbers of the space and spin helices, and one indicating the number of phase rotation steps in the radio-frequency modulation. A diagrammatic technique is used to visualize the space-spin symmetry selection. A pulse sequence C14 4 5 is designed which accomplishes double-quantum recoupling using a low ratio of radio frequency field to spinning frequency. The pulse sequence uses 14 radio frequency modulation steps with space and spin winding numbers of 4 and 5, respectively. The pulse sequence is applied to the double-quantum spectroscopy of 13 C 3 -labeled L-alanine. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental peak intensities, analytical results, and numerically exact simulations based on the known molecular geometry. The general symmetry properties of double quantum peaks in recoupled multiple-spin systems are discussed. A supercycle scheme which compensates homonuclear recoupling sequences for chemical shifts is introduced. We show an experimental double-quantum 13 C spectrum of ͓U-13 C͔-L-tyrosine at a spinning frequency of 20.000 kHz.

The local structures of highly ordered mesoporous bioactive CaO−SiO2−P2O5 glasses were investigated for variable Ca contents. 1H NMR revealed a diversity of hydrogen-bonded and “isolated” surface silanols as well as adsorbed water molecules. The structural roles of Si and P were explored using a combination of 29Si and 31P magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques; the proximities of Si and P to protons were studied through cross-polarization-based experiments, including 1H−29Si and 1H−31P hetero-nuclear two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. The results are consistent with SiO2 being the main pore-wall component, whereas P is present as a separate amorphous calcium orthophosphate phase, which is dispersed over the pore wall as nanometer-sized clusters. The excess Ca that is not consumed in the phosphate phase modifies the silica glass network where it associates at/near the mesoporous surface. This biphasic structural model of the pore wall leads to the high accessibility of both Ca and P to body fluids, and its relation to the experimentally demonstrated high in vitro bioactivities of these materials is discussed.

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An array of magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments is applied to explore the surface reactions of a mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) of composition Ca0.10Si0.85P0.04O1.90 when subjected to a simulated body fluid (SBF) for variable intervals. Powder X-ray diffraction and 31P NMR techniques are employed to quantitatively monitor the formation of an initially amorphous calcium phosphate surface layer and its subsequent crystallization into hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA). Prior to the onset of HCA formation, 1H → 29Si cross-polarization (CP) NMR evidence dissolution of calcium ions; a slightly increased connectivity of the speciation of silicate ions is observed at the MBG surface over 1 week of SBF exposure. The incorporation of carbonate and sodium ions into the bioactive orthophosphate surface layer is explored by 1H → 13C CPMAS and 23Na NMR, respectively. We discuss similarities and distinctions in composition−bioactivity relationships established for traditional melt-prepared bioglasses compared to MBGs. The high bioactivity of phosphorus-bearing MBGs is rationalized to stem from an acceleration of their surface reactions due to presence of amorphous calcium orthophosphate clusters of the MBG pore wall.

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