title: A Nuclear Singlet Lifetime of More than One Hour in Room-Temperature Solution.
abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are supremely important techniques with numerous applications in almost all branches of science. However, until recently, NMR methodology was limited by the time constantT1for the decay of nuclear spin magnetization through contact with the thermal molecular environment. Long-lived states, which are correlated quantum states of multiple nuclei, have decay time constants that may exceedT1by large factors. Here we demonstrate a nuclear long-lived state comprising two13C nuclei with a lifetime exceeding one hour in room-temperature solution, which is around 50 times longer thanT1. This behavior is well-predicted by a combination of quantum theory, molecular dynamics, and quantum chemistry. Such ultra-long-lived states are expected to be useful for the transport and application of nuclear hyperpolarization, which leads to NMR and MRI signals enhanced by up to five orders of magnitude.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stevanato
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hill-Cousins
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Pär
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Håkansson
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Soumya Singha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Lynda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Richard C D
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pileio
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (UK).
authors.forename: Malcolm H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Levitt
keywords: Kernspinrelaxation; Langlebige Spinzustände; NMR‐Spektroskopie; Singulettzustände