3D-printed integrative probeheads for magnetic resonance

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 5793
• Main Authors: Xie, Junyao, You, Xueqiu, Huang, Yuqing, Ni, Zurong, Wang, Xinchang, Li, Xingrui, Yang, Chaoyong, Zhang, Dechao, Chen, Hong, Sun, Huijun, Chen, Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.11.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 140/131; 3-D printers; 639/166/987; 639/301/930/1032; 639/766/930/878; Circuits; Customization; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemistry; Experiments; Fabrication; Flow separation; Geological surveys; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interfaces; Liquid metals; Magnetic resonance imaging; Metals; Microparticles; Miniaturization; Monitoring; multidisciplinary; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Printing; Radio frequency; Resonance; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Separation; Three dimensional printing
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19711-y

Magnetic resonance (MR) technology has been widely employed in scientific research, clinical diagnosis and geological survey. However, the fabrication of MR radio frequency probeheads still face difficulties in integration, customization and miniaturization. Here, we utilized 3D printing and liquid metal filling techniques to fabricate integrative radio frequency probeheads for MR experiments. The 3D-printed probehead with micrometer precision generally consists of liquid metal coils, customized sample chambers and radio frequency circuit interfaces. We screened different 3D printing materials and optimized the liquid metals by incorporating metal microparticles. The 3D-printed probeheads are capable of performing both routine and nonconventional MR experiments, including in situ electrochemical analysis, in situ reaction monitoring with continues-flow paramagnetic particles and ions separation, and small-sample MR imaging. Due to the flexibility and accuracy of 3D printing techniques, we can accurately obtain complicated coil geometries at the micrometer scale, shortening the fabrication timescale and extending the application scenarios. Here, the authors combine 3D printing and liquid metal filling techniques to fabricate customised probeheads for magnetic resonance experiments. They demonstrate in situ electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, reaction monitoring with continues-flow separation and small-sample imaging.