Session J15 - Poster Session II.
POSTER session, Sunday morning, April 20
Congressional Hall, Renaissance
We are investigating the use of laser polarized spin \frac12 gases, ^3He and ^129Xe, as NMR probes of porous media and complex fluid systems. The laser polarization technique increases the NMR signal-to-noise ratio by about 10,000. In contrast to water and other liquids, a gas phase NMR probe has a larger diffusion coefficient and may sample a greater number of pores during the experimental observation time; this should allow improved micro-porosity determination. We are pursuing NMR studies, including imaging and measurements of restricted diffusion and diffusion persistence, for systems such as sandstone rocks, foams, granular media, and the trabecular structure of bone. The high solubility and large chemical shifts of ^129Xe in lipid solutions may make it a powerful liquid phase NMR probe when dissolved in systems such as emulsions, liquid crystalline polymer films, and flowing multi-component fluids. Recent experimental results will be reported.