Thermoresponsive, spin-labeled hydrogels as separable DNP polarizing agents

Abstract

In this work, we present thermoresponsive, spin-labeled hydrogels that bear great potential for applications in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). In our approach, the water and other polarized molecules are efficiently separated from the radicals needed for DNP by a thermally induced collapse of a polymer network resulting in a prolonged lifetime of the hyperpolarization.