One-sided access 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (Osa-1H-NMR) as a versatile tool for industrial application

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomenon has been well known to physicists since the early fifties. Practical applications of this technique can nowadays be found in branches like medical imaging, protein analysis etc. However, conventional NMR measuring devices cannot be used for in-situ industrial applications. This disadvantage is mainly due to the need for sample extraction required by these enclosing systems, but also to their large size and their fragility. Thanks to its light-weighted and rugget design, the one-sided access ¹H-NMR device, which was recently developed at IZFP, offers the capability to be used in an industrial context. The aim of this presentation is to show the technical principles and the versatility of this new non-destructive and non-invasive technique for laboratory as well as for industrial applications. Examples such as dynamic monitoring of concrete hardening processes, measurement of moisture depth profiles in sandstone and characterization of the condition of glass fiber-mat-reinforced polymer layers are briefly discussed. Future enhancements (e.g. lateral imaging) and new fields of application, such as food industry and bioengineering, regarding this technique are shown in a short outlook.