The University of Warwick is hosting the UK’s first 1.2 GHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) magnet.

The magnet, which has been funded by a £17 million UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant, has been craned into a purpose-built new facility on 15^th February.

The 10-tonne magnet is one of under 15 of its kind, anywhere in the world. Operating in a similar way to an MRI machine, it will enable researchers to analyse solid structures at an atomic level with significantly greater precision than current NMR technology available in the UK.

The magnet will support a wide range of research disciplines including pharmaceuticals, energy storage, and biomaterials.

As an EPSRC National Research Facility, The University of Warwick’s high-field NMR instruments are already used by over 25 UK universities and industry partners, including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson Matthey.

The new magnet, manufactured in Switzerland by Bruker, will undergo a rigorous testing period before being made available to researchers later this year. The new facility is being constructed by Coventry-headquartered contractor Deeley Construction with support from Quantem as PM, EA, and QS.

Professor Steven Brown, academic lead for the project at The University of Warwick, said: “The new NMR magnet is 20% stronger than the current biggest NMR magnets in the UK, and will much improve the clarity with which we can analyse solid structures down to their atomic level.

“As one of less than 15 similar magnets in the world, it continues to put the UK at the forefront of research and innovation in areas such as pharmaceuticals and energy.

“Backed by a multi-year grant from UK Research and Innovation, we’ll be working closely with our partners from a range of UK universities and the private sector to ensure the investment has meaningful real-world impact.”

Neil Robinson, Head of Programme for Research Infrastructure at EPSRC said:

“The world’s most powerful NMR magnets play a crucial role in various aspects of our daily lives and technological advancements. This is an exciting new investment from the UKRI Infrastructure Fund that will be of great benefit to UK scientific researchers across multiple disciplines. It will maintain the UK as one of the global pioneers of NMR research.”

ENDS