Unlocking 17O Natural-Abundance Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Detection in Solids

Oxygen is an essential component of a wide variety of organic and inorganic materials, whether natural or synthetic. Therefore, characterizing its bonding patterns is essential to a wide range of scientific disciplines. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance is the technique of choice for this purpose but is insensitive to oxygen. Here, we demonstrate how to overcome this issue by using high magnetic fields in combination with cryogenic detection. This method enables us to obtain 17O NMR spectra with excellent signal-to-noise ratios and natural abundance within minutes using samples at room temperature and straight from the shelf. This paves the way for observing systems that cannot be enriched with the only NMR-active 17O isotope such as industrial catalysts, minerals, and natural biological samples.