Diverse deuterated lipids for neutron applications

Full text: Deuterated small molecules are an important tool in structure-function investigations using neutron scattering and diffraction techniques. Where the availability of deuterated small molecules is insufficient in terms of quantity or diversity a bottleneck is created which limits the advancement of neutron techniques. We will discuss recent advancements in and the impact of deuteration upon the research outcomes achieved by using bespoke deuterated lipids produced by the National Deuteration Facility of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. We will describe the synthesis and application of new deuterated molecules which are unavailable from commercial sources, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with expanding the menu of deuterated lipids available for neutron applications. (author)