Relaxometry refers to the study and/or measurement of relaxation variables in

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a physical phenomenon in which nuclei in a strong constant magnetic field are perturbed by a weak oscillating magnetic field (in the near field) and respond by producing an electromagnetic signal with a ...

and

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio wave ...

. In

NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a physical phenomenon in which nuclei in a strong constant magnetic field are perturbed by a weak oscillating magnetic field (in the near field) and respond by producing an electromagnetic signal with ...

, nuclear magnetic moments are used to measure specific physical and chemical properties of materials. Relaxation of the nuclear spin system is crucial for all NMR applications. The relaxation rate depends strongly on the mobility (fluctuations, diffusion) of the microscopic environment and the strength of the applied magnetic field. As a rule of thumb, strong magnetic fields lead to increased sensitivity on fast dynamics while low fields lead to increased sensitivity on slow dynamics. Thus, the relaxation rate as a function of the magnetic field strength is a fingerprint of the microscopic dynamics.

Equipment

Apparatus and technological support of the method is constantly developed. An NMR relaxometer is a device for relaxation time measuring. Laboratory NMR relaxometers for NMR signal registration are available in small sizes. In NMR relaxometry (NMRR) only one specific NMRR parameter is measured, not the whole spectrum (which is not always needed). This helps to save time and resources and makes it possible to use an NMR relaxometer as a portable express analyzer in different branches of industry, science and technology, environmental protection, etc.

References

External links

Field-cycling NMR relaxometry
Nuclear magnetic resonance {{Science-stub