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Today bulky and expensive superconducting magnets are used to generate the strong magnetic fields (about seven tesla) needed for precision NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). While portable magnets have been made before, the new one enables NMR measurements that are just as precise as the large commercial magnets.
The portable magnet could make possible sensitive, high-resolution NMR devices that can be taken to an archaeological dig to identify artifacts and to a factory to detect contamination in products. It could be used in doctors’ offices to spot blood clots, bacteria, or cancer proteins in a patient’s blood. It could also allow portable NMR machines to monitor the production of drugs and chemicals in-line instead of taking chemical samples to NMR labs for analysis. Even better magnets might be possible by fine-tuning the design, the researchers say. While the magnet’s field strength is 0.7 tesla right now, increasing the outer diameter of the magnet should make it possible to generate 1.5 tesla, the researchers say. What is more, using magnets made of other materials such as neodymium, as much as two tesla could be generated.
As the size of a permanent magnet shrinks, it generates magnetic fields that are uniform over a smaller volume because of tiny imperfections in its material and shape. This means less of a material sample can be used, making the NMR measurements almost a thousand times less sensitive than if a superconducting magnet were used. The NMR signal then becomes comparable to the electronic noise, and the device can miss chemicals that are present in very small quantities.
The new magnet generates a 0.7 tesla magnetic field, but it generates an extremely homogenous field. As a result, it is the first portable magnet that works with the conventional five-millimeter tubes in which NMR samples are placed. “The goal of our work was to take this tube, keep the volume constant, and build the smallest magnet with the desired homogeneity,” Casanova says. “The important thing we did is to correct the inhomogeneity that comes from imperfections in the magnet.”
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Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.