Translational diffusion, nuclear magnetic resonance

W. S. Price 1997, (Pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance as a tool for studying translational diffusion Part 1. Basic theory), Concepts Magn. Reson. 9, 299-336. 

Nuclear magnetic resonance provides means to study molecular dynamics in every state of matter. When going from solid state over liquids to gases, besides mole- cular reorientations, translational diffusion occurs as well. CD4 molecule inserted into a zeolite supercage provides a new specific model system for studies of rotational and translational dynamics by deuteron NMR. 

Price, W.S. 1998a. Pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance as a tool for studying translational diffusion. II. Experimental aspects. Basic theory. Concepts in Magn. Reson. 10, 197-237. Price, W.S. 1998b. NMR imaging. In Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy (G.A. Webb, ed.), Vol. 34, pp. 140-216. Academic Press, New York. 

Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of methane adsorbed to various coverages on titanium dioxide have been made by Fuschillo and Renton 16). At a coverage of 0.95 monolayer and at 20.4°K, the X-point for solid bulk methane, these authors observed an abrupt change in the proton resonance line width, presumably due to translational and rotational diffusion of methane molecules. For pure, bulk methane no change has been observed in the line width at the X-point. 

From the above comparison it seems clear that there are considerable discrepancies in the degrees of slowing down between nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments and CMD. This is especially true for the translational diffusion constant. 

In addition to the substantial literature on solvent and small-molecule translational diffusion, there is also a significant literature on small-molecule rotational diffusion. Experimental methods that report rotational diffusion behavior include VH tight scattering, as examined in different time domains with Fabry-Perot interferometry and photon correlation methods, nuclear magnetic resonance, oscillatory electrical birefringence, and time-resolved optical spectroscopy. 

Lindblom G and Oradd G (1994) NMR studies of translational diffusion in lyotropic liquid crystals and lipid membranes. Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy 26 483 515. 

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) provides a powerful method for the study of molecular motion. The techniques can distinguish molecular reorientation and translation and have proved particularly valuable for the study of self-diffusion in bulk liquids. The molecular motion of liquids in the confined geometry provided by their containment in porous materials has been of considerable interest for many years. It is of importance both as a fundamental scientific problem and because of its technological importance in such diverse systems as oil recovery from rocks and catalytic agents. The purpose of this paper is to question the reliability of many previous investigations and the validity of their interpretation. Potential sources of error are demonstrated by measurements on mobile liquids adsorbed into porous silicas with different geometrical characteristics. The principles illustrated are equally valid for other porous systems. Preliminary measurements of the diffusion coefficient of n-butane in silica as a fimction of temperature and the effect of pore dimensions are presented. 

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