  Combining microfluidic devices with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has the
potential of unlocking their vast sample handling and processing operation
space for use with the powerful analytics provided by NMR. One particularly
challenging class of integrated functional elements from the perspective of NMR
are conductive structures. Metallic electrodes could be used for
electrochemical sample interaction for example, yet they can cause severe NMR
spectral degradation. In this study, a combination of simulation and
experimental validation was used to identify an electrode geometry that, in
terms of NMR spectral parameters, performs as well as for the case when no
electrodes are present. By placing the metal tracks in the side-walls of a
microfluidic channel, we found that NMR RF excitation performance was actually
enhanced, without compromising $B_0$ homogeneity. Monitoring in situ deposition
of chitosan in the microfluidic platform is presented as a proof-of-concept
demonstration of NMR characterisation of an electrochemical process.
