Tabletop Magnetic Resonance Units to Revolutionize Diagnostics and Materials Analysis

In the HyPERiON CRC coordinated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), researchers from KIT and the universities of Kaiserslautern, Konstanz and Stuttgart are jointly developing technology for compact high-performance magnetic resonance units. In the future, the devices could be used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in medical practices or at border checkpoints. The German Research Foundation is funding the interdisciplinary group with more than 10.6 million euros for four years starting on July 1, 2022.

Magnetic resonance is both the most chemically specific and the most versatile measurement method for acquiring detailed information on the structure and function of molecular matter. This makes it the fundamental technology for characterizations in chemical, biological or materials research. However, its widespread use is hindered by its low sensitivity and the relatively high level of specialization required for working with it. The Collaborative Research Center for High Performance Compact Magnetic Resonance (HyPERiON) aims to change this by questioning conventional ideas along the entire signal processing chain. Its goal is to improve the sensitivity, resilience, and usability of magnetic resonance in equal measure. The team headed by CRC spokesperson Professor Jan G. Korvink from KIT’s Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) seeks to reduce the volume of high-performance magnetic resonance systems from 2 cubic meters down to the size of a 10-liter bucket – a factor of more than 200. This would bring them out of laboratories and enable their widespread use, for example in chemical and pharmaceutical production facilities, physicians’ practices or border checkpoints. “This is ultimately about exploring new and exciting applications in chemistry, biology and even chemical engineering,” says Korvink.

Miniaturization Makes Magnetic Resonance Available Even for Smaller Budgets

To achieve its goals, the CRC is focusing on the miniaturization of all components involved in magnetic resonance technology: superconducting magnets, cooling systems, high-speed electronics, magnetic resonance sensors, devices for ultra-fast data transfer, and devices for the nuclear spin hyperpolarization of materials and biological samples. “Integrating all these technologies in a modern and portable platform will enable us to drive socially relevant applications such as diagnosing diseases, using medical implants, or discovering medicines,” says Korvink. The partners in the CRC expect the results of their research to make the use of magnetic resonance for fast and high-resolution characterization of materials affordable for facilities with smaller budgets, and to advance research in chemistry and materials science in general.

Speeding up the Search for the Best Materials

There are many ways in which society’s well-being is crucially dependent on access to the best materials. But the requirements are complex and involve not only a material’s function but also its effects on our biological systems and the environment, and on how it can be recovered or broken down. “If materials can be characterized quickly and with high resolution for a very large number of variants with only tiny samples, and if we can perform the tests under operational conditions and analyze decomposition processes, then we’ll have a chance to find the best starting materials to fulfill our expectations. This is also important from the point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint. HyPERiON is going to fundamentally change our capabilities for material characterization and will train a new generation of young researchers and engineers in its application to societal challenges,” says Korvink.

In addition to HyPERiON, KIT is involved in another new Collaborative Research Center that is also starting on July 1, 2022: The aim of CRC 1537, ECOSENSE, headed by the University of Freiburg, is the faster and more accurate detection and prediction of critical changes in forest ecosystems due to climate change.

Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.