Experimental techniques relaxation

A variety of experimental techniques have been employed to research the material of this chapter, many of which we shall not even mention. For example, pressure as well as temperature has been used as an experimental variable to study volume effects. Dielectric constants, indices of refraction, and nuclear magnetic resonsance (NMR) spectra are used, as well as mechanical relaxations, to monitor the onset of the glassy state. X-ray, electron, and neutron diffraction are used to elucidate structure along with electron microscopy. It would take us too far afield to trace all these different techniques and the results obtained from each, so we restrict ourselves to discussing only a few types of experimental data. Our failure to mention all sources of data does not imply that these other techniques have not been employed to good advantage in the study of the topics contained herein. 

The use of computer simulations to study internal motions and thermodynamic properties is receiving increased attention. One important use of the method is to provide a more fundamental understanding of the molecular information contained in various kinds of experiments on these complex systems. In the first part of this paper we review recent work in our laboratory concerned with the use of computer simulations for the interpretation of experimental probes of molecular structure and dynamics of proteins and nucleic acids. The interplay between computer simulations and three experimental techniques is emphasized (1) nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation spectroscopy, (2) refinement of macro-molecular x-ray structures, and (3) vibrational spectroscopy. The treatment of solvent effects in biopolymer simulations is a difficult problem. It is not possible to study systematically the effect of solvent conditions, e.g. added salt concentration, on biopolymer properties by means of simulations alone. In the last part of the paper we review a more analytical approach we have developed to study polyelectrolyte properties of solvated biopolymers. The results are compared with computer simulations. 

In studies of superparamagnetic relaxation the blocking temperature is defined as the temperature at which the relaxation time equals the time scale of the experimental technique. Thus, the blocking temperature is not uniquely defined, but depends on the experimental technique that is used for the study of superparamagnetic relaxation. In Mossbauer spectroscopy studies of samples with a broad distribution of relaxation times, the average blocking temperature is commonly defined as the temperature where half of the spectral area is in a sextet and half of it is in a singlet or a doublet form. 

Chain and ring macromolecules are topologically distinct. Thus it is not surprising that many differences in their microscopic properties are observed [127], Besides many other experimental techniques, which were applied to specify these differences, NSE was used to compare the center of mass diffusion and the internal relaxation of linear and cyclic PDMS systems in dilute solutions under good solvent conditions [120,128,129]. An important parameter for these investigations was the molecular mass, which was varied between 800 and 15400 g/mol and which was almost identical for the corresponding linear (L) and ring (R) systems. 

With an understanding of magnetic interactions in the solid state, inherent relaxation processes, and experimental techniques to overcome these difficulties, Schaefer et al. acquired the first liquid-like NMR spectrum of a solid by CP/MAS techniques [27]. Before a review of recent applications of CP/MAS NMR to the pharmaceutical sciences, the brief Experimental section details some important information regarding practical solid state NMR. 

Some recent papers permit an exciting outlook on the degree of sophistication of experimental techniques and on the kind of data which may be available soon. In the field of NMR spectroscopy, a publication by Hertz and Raedle 172> deals with the hydration shell of the fluoride ion. From nuclear magnetic relaxation rates of 19F in 1M aqueous solutions of KF at room temperature, the authors were able to show that the orientation of the water molecules in the vicinity of fluoride ions is such that the two protons are non-equivalent. A geometry is proposed for the water coordination in the inner solvent shell of F corresponding to an almost linear H-bond and to an OF distance of approximately 2.76 A, at least under the conditions chosen. 

Frequency dependent complex impedance measurements made over many decades of frequency provide a sensitive and convenient means for monitoring the cure process in thermosets and thermoplastics [1-4]. They are of particular importance for quality control monitoring of cure in complex resin systems because the measurement of dielectric relaxation is one of only a few instrumental techniques available for studying molecular properties in both the liquid and solid states. Furthermore, It is one of the few experimental techniques available for studying the poljfmerization process of going from a monomeric liquid of varying viscosity to a crosslinked. Insoluble, high temperature solid. 

A chemical relaxation technique that measures the magnitude and time dependence of fluctuations in the concentrations of reactants. If a system is at thermodynamic equilibrium, individual reactant and product molecules within a volume element will undergo excursions from the homogeneous concentration behavior expected on the basis of exactly matching forward and reverse reaction rates. The magnitudes of such excursions, their frequency of occurrence, and the rates of their dissipation are rich sources of dynamic information on the underlying chemical and physical processes. The experimental techniques and theory used in concentration correlation analysis provide rate constants, molecular transport coefficients, and equilibrium constants. Magde" has provided a particularly lucid description of concentration correlation analysis. See Correlation Function... 

Thus the time constant t may also be estimated from (e )J h, the value of (e )ch extrapolated to zero frequency, and (co< ")SU the value of (coc")ch extrapolated to infinite frequency. For a chemically induced dielectric dispersion to be observable experimentally, the time constant t ought to be much shorter than the mean rotational relaxation time of the solute molecule, yet still in the range accessible to available experimental techniques. 

Present theoretical efforts that are directed toward a more complete and realistic analysis of the transport equations governing atmospheric relaxation and the propagation of artificial disturbances require detailed information of thermal opacities and long-wave infrared (LWIR) absorption in regions of temperature and pressure where molecular effects are important.2 3 Although various experimental techniques have been employed for both atomic and molecular systems, theoretical studies have been largely confined to an analysis of the properties (bound-bound, bound-free, and free-free) of atomic systems.4,5 This is mostly a consequence of the unavailability of reliable wave functions for diatomic molecular systems, and particularly for excited states or states of open-shell structures. More recently,6 9 reliable theoretical procedures have been prescribed for such systems that have resulted in the development of practical computational programs. 

It should be noted that this solution procedure requires the knowledge of elementary rate constants, klt k2, and k3. The elementary rate constants can be measured by the experimental techniques such as pre-steady-state kinetics and relaxation methods (Bailey and Ollis, pp. 111 -113, 1986), which are much more complicated compared to the methods to determine KM and rmax. Furthermore, the initial molar concentration of an enzyme should be known, which is also difficult to measure as explained earlier. However, a numerical solution with the elementary rate constants can provide a more precise picture of what is occurring during the enzyme reaction, as illustrated in the following example problem. 

Various experimental techniques (dielectric relaxation, dynamic mechanical analysis, 1H, 2H and 13C solid-state NMR) have been used for investigating the secondary transitions of BPA-PC, and the block copolymers of BPA and TMBPA carbonates as well as compatible blends of BPA-PC and TMBPA-PC. They have provided lots of information on the motions of methyl, phenyl ring and carbonate units in bulk BPA-PC. The effect of intermolecular packing has also been clearly evidenced. 

It is worth noticing that a molecular modelling approach is used to complement the experimental techniques of dynamic mechanical analysis, dielectric relaxation, solid-state 13C and 2H NMR. 

The approach developed in this paper, combining on the one side experimental techniques (dynamic mechanical analysis, dielectric relaxation, solid-state 1H, 2H and 13C NMR on nuclei at natural abundance or through specific labelling), and on the other side atomistic modelling, allows one to reach quite a detailed description of the motions involved in the solid-state transitions of amorphous polymers. Bisphenol A polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate) and its maleimide and glutarimide copolymers give perfect illustrations of the level of detail that can be achieved. 

In another paper in this issue [1], the molecular motions involved in secondary transitions of many amorphous polymers of quite different chemical structures have been analysed in detail by using a large set of experimental techniques (dynamic mechanical measurements, dielectric relaxation, H, 2H and 13C solid state NMR), as well as atomistic modelling. 

---