Finite pulse effects in CPMG pulse trains on paramagnetic materials

The Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) sequence is commonly used in high resolution NMR spectroscopy and in magnetic resonance imaging for the measurement of transverse relaxation in systems that are subject to diffusion in internal or external gradients and is superior to the Hahn echo measurement, which is more sensitive to diffusion effects. Similarly, it can potentially be used to study dynamic processes in electrode materials for lithium ion batteries. Here we compare the 7Li signal decay curves obtained with the CPMG and Hahn echo sequences under static conditions (i.e., in the absence of magic angle spinning) in paramagnetic materials with varying transition metal ion concentrations. Our results indicate that under CPMG pulse trains the lifetime of the 7Li signal is substantially extended and is correlated with the strength of the electron–nuclear interaction. Numerical simulations and analytical calculations using Floquet theory suggest that the combination of large interactions and a train of finite pulses, results in a spin locking effect which significantly slows the signal's decay. While these effects complicate the interpretation of CPMG-based investigations of diffusion and chemical exchange in paramagnetic materials, they may provide a useful approach to extend the signal's lifetime in these often fast relaxing systems, enabling the use of correlation experiments. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of developing a deeper understanding of the effects of the large paramagnetic interactions during multiple pulse experiments in order to extend the experimental arsenal available for static and in situ NMR investigations of paramagnetic materials.