The dependence on magnetic field strength of correlated internal gradient relaxation time distributions in heterogeneous materials

Abstract

Magnetic susceptibility differences in porous media produce local gradients within the pore space. At high magnetic fields, these inhomogeneities have the potential to greatly affect nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. We undertake a study using a new NMR technique to measure the internal gradients present in highly heterogeneous samples over a wide range of magnetic field strengths. Our results show that even at ultra-high fields there can exist signal at internal gradient strengths sufficiently small that techniques for suppressing unwanted side effects have the possibility to be used. Our findings encourage the use of these high and ultra-high field strengths for a broader range of samples. Our results also give experimental evidence to support the theory of internal gradient scaling as a function of field strength within pores.