Analysis of solid technical polymers by compact NMR

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is today one of the most important analytical tools for the detailed characterization of solid polymers at various length and time scales. Such information is key for establishing proper structure-property relationships required for the rational design of polymers for particular applications. Several microscopic properties can be probed without chemical resolution, thereby enabling the investigator to retrieve this information by using static measurements at magnetic fields of lower strength and homogeneity. Thus, this current paper discusses methods currently available in compact low-field NMR for the analysis of polymers in the solid state and compares these methods in terms of similarities and differences in implementation and function for NMR sensors with different magnetic-field homogeneities. The high potential of low-field NMR is demonstrated with the help of selected applications from fundamental and applied research.