The NMR Expertise Center (NMR EC) currently (December 2022) has 5 NMR spectrometers of different field strengths going from 300MHz to 700MHz. Each spectrometer is equipped with one or more detection probes that allow to interrogate organic molecules in solution about their molecular structure, behavior in solution, internal dynamics, intermolecular interactions, ... . Examples of these organic molecules include natural and synthesis products, polymers, metabolites, complex peptides, nucleic acids and sugars. Each probe has multiple channels where a diversity of atomic nuclei can be addressed simultaneously or not. Typical examples are 1H, 13C, 15N but also less courtant nuclei such as 31P, 19F, 29Si, 119Sn, 199Hg,.... are among the possibilities. In principle, any element can be examined on one or more devices as long as it has an NMR active isotope and the sensitivity on the device in question is adequate. Furthermore, each spectrometer is equipped with an automatic sample changer (60 positions) that makes it possible to measure many samples in a short period of time, as well as the necessary peripheral equipment to perform measurements at different temperatures (-150°C tem 150°C).

Each spectrometer within the NMR EC has a specific mission and user scenario: the three high-field spectrometers (2* 500MHz and 700MHz) are mainly used by highly specialized users whose research needs high sensitivity and/or resolution. In addition, the low-field spectrometers (300 and 400MHz) are used in the open access facility where non-NMR experts can have their samples analyzed using a list of standardized measurements in a highly automated setup.

Whereas until recently the infrastructure of the NMR EC focused almost exclusively on molecules in solution, recent investments have extended this to solids and molecules at the interface between solid and liquid states. This further expands the application field of the NMR technique to analyze inorganic samples in addition to organic molecules. Examples of the latter include quantum dots, zeolites, MOFs (metal organic frameworks), nanoporous and crystalline materials.