User Policies

The NMR facility is available for independent use to all OSU students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members. However, training and access requirements must be met. External academic and industrial researchers are welcome to submit samples for service. Remote operation is possible at the discretion of the facility staff.

Account Requirements

• All new users must register for a Facility Online Manager (FOM) account before using any NMR instruments
• Internal users must have both:
  • An active FOM account
  • A valid requisition number (Learn how to obtain a requisition here: https://go.osu.edu/fomrequisition)

Booking Process

• Schedule all NMR time through the FOM calendar: https://fom.osu.edu/fom/welcome
• Minimum booking duration is 15 minutes (600 and 700 MHz) or 30 minutes (800 MHz and above)

Facility Management 

The CCIC staff maintains the right to:

• Modify schedules as needed for facility maintenance
• Adjust instrument time allocation for maximum efficiency
• Pause or cancel experiments that are unlikely to produce useful results (e.g., due to poor signal-to-noise ratio). If an experiment is deemed unsuitable, staff will:
  • Discuss alternative experimental approaches
  • Discuss whether an alternative sample is available
  • If no alternatives are viable, cancel remaining time (standard fees may apply)

General Guidelines

• Reservations may be canceled outside of the cancellation window, described below
• To avoid cancellation fees within the cancellation window, we recommend finding an alternate user within your group that can make use of the reserved time
• Consecutive reservations by a single user are treated as a single booking
• First-time violations receive a grace period with notification to PI (no charge)
• Fees apply regardless of whether another lab uses the canceled time
• Policy is subject to periodic review and adjustment

Cancellation Windows and Fees

Standard Reservations (Up to 24 Hours in length)

• The cancellation window is the 24 hours before your reservation
• The cancellation fee equals full reservation time if canceled during the cancellation window
  • Example: 12-hour reservation canceled 20 hours before start → Full 12-hour charge

Extended Reservations (Over 24 Hours in length)

• The cancellation window is the length of time prior to the reservation of equivalent duration as the reservation itself.
  • Example: The cancellation window for a 3-day reservation is 3 days.
• Delinquent time = Reservation length minus the time until the reservation is to start
• The cancellation fee is calculated as:
  • A full 24-hour NMR fee if cancelled within 24 hours of the reservation plus $2/hour of delinquent time beyond the first 24 hours
  • $48 per day ($2/hour) of delinquent time if canceled prior to 24 hours from the start of the reservation
  • Example: 3-day booking cancelled 12 hours before booking
    • Delinquent time is 2.5 days
    • Canceled within 24 hours, charged at 24 hours of regular rate plus $72 for additional delinquent time
  • Example: 5-day booking cancelled 3 days before booking
    • Delinquent time is 2 days
    • Canceled prior to 24 hours will be charged $96

Early Termination Charges

• Time used is charged at regular NMR rate
• Remaining time is charged at the regular NMR rate up to 24 hours.
• Additional time beyond 24 hours is charged at $2 per hour.
  • Example: 60-hour booking, used for only 16 hours:
    • Usage fee: 16 hours at standard rate
    • Cancellation fee: 24 hours regular rate + $40 (20 remaining hours at $2/hour)

Partial Cancellations / Modifications

• Modifying a reservation must be accomplished outside of the cancelation window to avoid cancellation fees
• Modifying a reservation at run time will be charged as an Early Termination
• If canceled portion is greater than 24 hours from the time of modification, only the $2/hour fee is charged
  • Example: 3-day booking, canceling day 2 during day 1 → 24-hour regular rate fee
  • Example: 3-day booking, canceling day 3 during day 1 → $48 (24 hours at $2/hour)

Transferring Time Within Lab

To avoid cancellation fees when transferring time to lab members:

• Cancel original reservation
• Contact CCIC staff about transfer and note any billing changes (e.g., charging to a different grant for the new user)
• The new user must:
  1. Be trained and approved
  2. Have active FOM account
  3. Make new reservation for proper billing
  4. Use full original time (partial use may incur fees)

Staff Assistance 

If you need help running your NMR experiments:

• Contact our facility managers:
  • Dr. Chunhua Yuan (yuan.9@osu.edu)
  • Dr. Alexandar Hansen (hansen.434@osu.edu)
  • Dr. Trent Franks (franks.243@osu.edu)
• Discuss available time slots that work for both you and the operator

Sample Drop-off Service

• No advance reservation required for drop-off experiments
• Please email one of the CCIC staff to:
  • Request NMR time
  • Coordinate sample drop-off
  • Discuss experimental requirements

If You Experience Problems

1. Stop using the equipment immediately
2. Contact CCIC staff right away:
   • Dr. Chunhua Yuan (yuan.9@osu.edu)
   • Dr. Alexandar Hansen (hansen.434@osu.edu)
   • Dr. Trent Franks (franks.243@osu.edu)

Important Guidelines

• Do not attempt to fix or troubleshoot equipment yourself
• Document when and how the problem occurred
• Wait for staff guidance before continuing any experiments

Liability

• If equipment damage results from user negligence, repair costs may be charged to the PI's account
• Prompt reporting of issues helps prevent further damage and minimizes downtime

Safety and Sample Requirements

• No food or beverages are permitted in the NMR Rooms, Riffe 137 and CBEC 092
• Hazardous and infectious samples are strictly prohibited

Sample Handling

• Label all samples clearly with printed labels
• Do not write on the outside of NMR tubes
• Remove samples promptly after experiments
• Note: Unlabeled or abandoned samples may be disposed of without notice

Instrument Care After completing your experiments:

• Reset temperature to 25°C (298 K)
• Return all modified parameters to default values
• Clean your workspace thoroughly
• Remove all personal items and waste (including Kimwipes)

Prohibited Activities

• Entering the facility without permission
• Using instruments without proper staff training
• Operating equipment without a reservation
• Violating any facility policies listed in this document

Violation Response Protocol 

If unauthorized use is detected:

• Current experiments will be terminated
• Samples will be removed and safely stored on the bench
• User access may be suspended
• PI will be notified

Financial Penalties 

When unauthorized use is identified:

• Estimated usage time will be charged
• Additional $50 administrative fee applies
• All charges will be billed to PI's account

Disciplinary Actions

• PIs are expected to address violations with their team members
• Multiple violations may result in:
  • Indefinite suspension from facility access
  • Additional administrative penalties
  • Review of lab's facility privileges

Eligibility Requirements

• Must demonstrate comprehensive NMR spin physics knowledge
• Alternatively, show detailed understanding of the specific pulse sequence in question
• External users (non-Ohio State University) cannot modify experiments independently. Requested modifications must be made by CCIC NMR staff

Permitted Modifications 

• With approval, users may make minor adjustments to experiment, including but not limited to:
  • Hard-coded delay durations
  • Water-selective pulses
  • Solvent presaturation

Staff Approval is Required For:

• Significant changes to pulse power
• Modifications to decoupling parameters
• Alterations to high-power pulse durations
• Application of new shaped pulses

File Naming Protocol

• Include your initials in filename
• Add meaningful descriptors (e.g., Bruker codes)
• Example: zgesgppepr.alh
• IMPORTANT: Never save using any default sequence names

Required Documentation 

All modified sequences must include header information:

• Full name of modifier
• Modification date
• Reason for changes
• Detailed description of modifications

Example Header Format:

; 28 Oct 2016 – Alex Hansen
; -- need to suppress additional solvent signal using presaturation
; -- using pl9 for presat and cnst1 for resonance position

If you cannot find the pulse sequence you need, we maintain strict guidelines for implementing new pulse sequences to ensure safety and efficiency. Custom sequence development is available exclusively for Ohio State researchers, as this process requires significant staff time and facility resources.

Before implementation, all new sequences and shaped pulses must:

• Undergo thorough evaluation by CCIC staff
• Comply with both Bruker and CCIC pulse sequence conventions
• If use of pulse sequence conventions is restrictive or not possible, custom shapes and decoupling must make use of 'wavemaker'
• Be tested initially under direct staff supervision

We consider pulse sequence development to be collaborative work between researchers and our facility. For safety and quality control reasons, users may not independently implement non-standard sequences.

Contact our staff to discuss your specific needs and explore existing alternatives that may meet your research requirements.

User Eligibility

Independent instrument access is available to all Ohio State students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members who complete our mandatory training sequence. External academic and industrial researchers are welcome to utilize our instruments via sample submission services.

Independent instrument access is available to all Ohio State students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members. To qualify, you must complete a staff-led training. See the Training and Access page for details. External academic and industrial researchers are welcome to utilize our instruments via sample submission or remote operation services.

Account Setup

Before you can reserve time on any facility instrument, you must create a profile on the Facility Online Manager (FOM) and link an approved payment track based on your institution:

• Internal OSU Users: You must link a valid project number to your account. Instruction details are available at go.osu.edu/fomrequisition.
• External Academic & Guest Users: You must register your account using the specific guest onboarding path at go.osu.edu/fomguest.

Maintenance & Utilization

To accommodate facility maintenance and maximize overall efficiency, CCIC staff reserves the right to modify scheduled calendar slots or adjust instrument allocations. Furthermore, staff may pause or cancel ongoing experiments that are unlikely to yield useful results (e.g., due to inadequate signal-to-noise ratios). If an experiment is flagged as unsuitable, staff will consult with you to discuss alternative experimental strategies or sample modifications. If no viable alternatives are found, the remaining booked time will be canceled, and standard fees may still apply.

Staff-Assisted Services

If your project requires direct staff assistance for experimental design, data collection, or advanced analysis, do not book time on the automated calendars. Instead, contact our facility managers directly to coordinate instrument time and operator availability:

• Dr. Chunhua Yuan — yuan.9@osu.edu
• Dr. Alexandar Hansen — hansen.434@osu.edu
• Dr. Trent Franks — franks.243@osu.edu

Sample Drop-off Service

For standard sample drop-off service, no advance calendar reservation is required. Simply email one of the facility managers listed above to coordinate your sample drop-off time and discuss your specific experimental requirements.