Molecular translational motion

Quantum-Mechanical Distribution Function of Molecular Systems Translational and Rotational Motions (Friedmann). ... 

Given the character of the water-water interaction, particularly its strength, directionality and saturability, it is tempting to formulate a lattice model, or a cell model, of the liquid. In such models, local structure is the most important of the factors determining equilibrium properties. This structure appears when the molecular motion is defined relative to the vertices of a virtual lattice that spans the volume occupied by the liquid. In general, the translational motion of a molecule is either suppressed completely (static lattice model), or confined to the interior of a small region defined by repulsive interactions with surrounding molecules (cell model). Clearly, the nature of these models is such that they describe best those properties which are structure determined, and describe poorly those properties which, in some sense, depend on the breakdown of positional and orientational correlations between molecules. 

Pulsed field gradient (PFG)-NMR experiments have been employed in the groups of Zawodzinski and Kreuer to measure the self-diffusivity of water in the membrane as a function of the water content. From QENS, the typical time and length scales of the molecular motions can be evaluated. It was observed that water mobility increases with water content up to almost bulk-like values above T 10, where the water content A = nn o/ nsojH is defined as the ratio of the number of moles of water molecules per moles of acid head groups (-SO3H). In Perrin et al., QENS data for hydrated Nation were analyzed with a Gaussian model for localized translational diffusion. Typical sizes of confining domains and diffusion coefficients, as well as characteristic times for the elementary jump processes, were obtained as functions of A the results were discussed with respect to membrane structure and sorption characteristics. ... 

The above experimental results largely relate to spectroscopic techniques, which do not give direct information about the spatial scale of the molecular motions. The size of the spatial heterogeneities is estimated by indirect methods such as sensitivity of the dynamics to the probe size or from the differences between translational and rotational diffusion coefficients (rotation-translation paradox). It might be expected that the additional spatial information provided by neutron scattering could help to discriminate between the two scenarios proposed. 

NMR measurements can distinguish hydrogen In rigid molecular structures of coals, l.e. structures that do not undergo appreciable reorientation and/or translation during time Intervals < 10 s, from hydrogen In mobile structures which possess more rapid molecular motions characteristic of fused or rubbery materials. 

Molecular motions in low molecular weight molecules are rather complex, involving different types of motion such as rotational diffusion (isotropic or anisotropic torsional oscillations or reorientations), translational diffusion and random Brownian motion. The basic NMR theory concerning relaxation phenomena (spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times) and molecular dynamics, was derived assuming Brownian motion by Bloembergen, Purcell and Pound (BPP theory) 46). This theory was later modified by Solomon 46) and Kubo and Tomita48 an additional theory for spin-lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame was also developed 49>. 

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