Perspectives for hyperpolarisation in compact NMR

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is one of the most powerful analytical techniques currently available, with applications in fields ranging from synthetic chemistry to clinical diagnosis. Due to the size and cost of high-field spectrometers, NMR is generally considered to be ill-suited for industrial environments and field work. This conventional wisdom is currently being challenged through the development of NMR systems that are smaller, cheaper, more robust and portable. Despite remarkable progress in this area, potential applications are often limited by low sensitivity. Hyperpolarisation techniques have the potential to overcome this limitation and revolutionise the use of compact NMR. This review describes the state-of-the-art in NMR hyperpolarisation and presents promising examples of its application to compact NMR. Both the benefits and challenges associated with the different hyperpolarisation approaches are discussed and applications where these technologies have the potential to make a significant impact are highlighted.