Thank you for your interest in using the NMR and Chemistry MS facilities. Whether you are an experienced user or just found out NMR and MS are a thing, we will do our best to help you advance your research.
In general, if you need regular access to NMR and/or MS for an extended period of time, you should get trained to use the instruments independently. If you just need to analyze a few samples, we will run them for you at no additional charge. If you are not sure which applies to you, please talk to us before completing the training.
Please complete your training ONLY when you are ready to generate samples. Experience teaches us that getting trained too far in advance will just result in having to repeat the training.
When you are ready, click here for NMR training and here for MS training.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Facility access
Can I use the facility?
Most likely. We provide access to analytical instrumentation for Cornell, non-Cornell academic, and industrial users.
Can you run my sample for me?
Possibly. Please get in touch or stop by the facility to discuss your needs.
Can I ask someone else to run a sample for me?
Yes, a trained user of the facility can run samples for you. They can enter your information and account number when they set up the experiments so we bill your research account instead of theirs. They will assume responsibility for your samples, so please follow their instructions very carefully.
Can I run NMR on solid samples?
Possibly. We have instrumentation to run some solid-state NMR experiments. Please contact Dimitrios to discuss your specific case.
Training
I already know how to use Bruker spectrometers. Do I have to do the online training?
Yes. The training includes Cornell-specific rules and procedures, so you must read the materials and pass the quiz before we can give you access to the facility.
I just need to run a few samples, do I need to get trained?
No, we will run the samples for you. If you decide to read the online training materials anyway, please don’t do the quiz at the end, so we don’t end up creating your account unnecessarily.
I know how to use Varian spectrometers. Do I have to do the online training?
No, you do not have to complete the online training if you only want access to the Varians. Read the sections on safety and facility rules, sample preparation, and data access and processing, then talk to Ivan about setting up your account.
Cost and Billing
Do I have to pay?
Yes. We charge user fees to cover operational, maintenance, and repair expenses, as well as a part of the staff’s salary and benefits.
How much will it cost?
Probably less than you think, but it really depends on your sample(s). Instrument usage is billed in one minute increments at the rates posted here. For a reasonably concentrated sample, a simple 1H spectrum takes 8-10 minutes—around 6 minutes to get the sample ready for data acquisition plus 2 minutes for collecting the data—which costs $3 on our most expensive instruments. Adding 13C, 19F, 11B or 31P will cost about $3 each, and 2D experiments (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, TOCSY) will set you back around $1.50 per experiment. Dilute samples will require longer data collection times with corresponding increases in cost.
How do I pay?
If you are affiliated with Cornell, we invoice the KFS account you provide when you submit your experiments. If you do not have a Cornell account, the Chemistry business office will create a dummy account for you and send you an invoice.