NMR LAB POLICIES

1. Access to instruments

Instruments are accessible to anyone who has been trained on their use by the NMR lab staff and has a current account. No unauthorized training!!
Each authorized user is given a 6-letter code and computer account for scheduling time on the instruments and for using the instruments. Please use a secure password and do NOT let anyone else use your account. Violators will lose access privileges for a period of one week.

2. General policies

No food or beverages near the spectrometers or workstations.
Do not leave your NMR tubes in the NMR Lab.
If a sample breaks in the magnet, contact the NMR lab staff immediately so the probe can be cleaned. This will minimize probe damage from corrosive solvents.
Repairs for any damage to the probes resulting from user error will be charged to the user group.
All users must abide by the scheduling restrictions posted in the lab.
All users must sign the spectrometer log book.
All users must lock and shim on the dummy sample when finished with the spectrometer. The dummy sample on all instruments is D2O and has vertical lines on the cap. If the dummy sample breaks, contact the NMR lab staff so that we can replace it with an appropriate tube.
Non-standard experiments (VT work, exotic nuclei) must be scheduled with the NMR lab staff one week in advance.
READ THE MANUAL! You will find most of your questions are addressed in the 1D instruction manual.
Do not use chipped or cracked NMR tubes
Use 507PP or 528PP NMR tubes on the Varian instruments to prevent damage to the probes. (505PS tubes are OK on the instruments with sample changers)
The NMR lab does not provide solvents for your use.
Standard shims are determined on a sample 50mm in height. Shorter samples will require additional time to shim. Longer samples waste solvent and dilute the concentration.
Separate training is required for variable temperature work.
Be aware of the temperature limitations on the probe you are using. If unsure, ask!!
Always use new 528 NMR tubes for VT work. Old tubes may be scratched and more likely to break.
For variable temperature work, you must schedule enough instrument time to bring the temperature back to room temperature when you are finished. This means > 20 degrees C and < 27 degrees C.

3. Restrictions on usage

VAC-200 and VAC-300
VXR-300 and VI-300:
VI-500:
Weekends: Reserve 2 weeks in advance for entire weekend on all spectrometers.
Holidays: Weekend restrictions in effect on all spectrometers

4. Charging for instrument time

Instrument usage is charged to a 7-digit CUFS account at the following hourly rates:

INSTRUMENT	DAY	NIGHT/WEEKEND
VI-500	$12.00	$6.00
VI-300	$9.00	$4.50
VXR-300	$9.00	$4.50
VAC-300	$7.90	$7.90
VAC-200	$5.25	$5.25
EPR	$5.40	$5.40

Night rates begin at 6pm and end at 8am the next morning.
Operator time is $22.50/hr for any instrument at all times.
You will be charged for any time that is scheduled but not used. Cancel any unused time. Industry usage is charged at six times the internal rate, with operator time being $100/hr.

5. Service work

Samples may be submitted for the NMR lab staff to run for you. Fill out a sample submission form.

6. Archiving data

Data is saved to CD-ROM when data directories are full. The five most recent CD-ROMs are loaded and constantly accessible through the [Main Menu] - [File] - [Oldfids] menu buttons. For data older than this, the NMR lab staff can load the appropriate CD- ROM, then accessible through the [Special] menu option.

Back to the NMR lab home page

philson@nmr.chem.umn.edu

Last modified: Tues, July 30, 2002