Rotational states of the NH+4 ion in (NH4)2SnCl6 by inelastic neutron scattering

Comment on "Elastic incoherent neutron scattering operating by varying instrumental energy resolution: Principle, simulations, and experiments of the resolution elastic neutron scattering (RENS)" [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 105115 (2011)]

In a recent contribution to this journal, Magazù, Migliardo, and Benedetto suggest to determine relaxation times from inflection points in the elastic neutron scattering intensity as function of (1) resolution time or (2) temperature. Method (1) can be generalized into a scaling law. Method (2) is only approximately valid; its application to protein data does not back a wavenumber-independent dynamic transition.

Low-temperature tunneling and rotational dynamics of the ammonium cations in (NH4)2B12H12

Low-temperature neutron scattering spectra of diammonium dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate [(NH(4))(2)B(12)H(12)] reveal two NH(4)(+) rotational tunneling peaks (e.g., 18.5 μeV and 37 μeV at 4 K), consistent with the tetrahedral symmetry and environment of the cations. The tunneling peaks persist between 4 K and 40 K. An estimate was made for the tunnel splitting of the first NH(4)(+) librational state from a fit of the observed ground-state tunnel splitting as a function of temperature. At temperatures of 50 K-70 K, classical neutron quasi-elastic scattering appears to dominate the spectra and is attributed to NH(4)(+) cation jump reorientation about the four C(3) axes defined by the N-H bonds. A reorientational activation energy of 8.1 ± 0.6 meV (0.79 ± 0.06 kJ/mol) is determined from the behavior of the quasi-elastic linewidths in this temperature regime. This activation energy is in accord with a change in NH(4)(+) dynamical behavior above 70 K. A low-temperature inelastic neutron scattering feature at 7.8 meV is assigned to a NH(4)(+) librational mode. At increased temperatures, this feature drops in intensity, having shifted entirely to higher energies by 200 K, suggesting the onset of quasi-free NH(4)(+) rotation. This is consistent with neutron-diffraction-based model refinements, which derive very large thermal ellipsoids for the ammonium-ion hydrogen atoms at room temperature in the direction of reorientation.

Rotational tunneling in CH4 II: disorder effects

Transitions within the tunneling multiplet of CH(4) in phase II have been measured in an experiment at the backscattering instrument BASIS of the Neutron Source SNS. They all involve transitions from or to T-states. A statistical model is put forward which accounts for local departures from tetrahedral symmetry at the sites of ordered molecules. Different from previous work, in which discrete sets of overlap matrix elements have been studied, now large numbers of elements as well as the ensemble of T-states are considered. The observed neutron spectra can be explained rather well, all based on the pocket state formalism of A. Hüller [Phys. Rev. B 16, 1844 (1977)]. A completely new result is the observation and simulation of transitions between T-states, which give rise to a double peaked feature close to the elastic position and which reflect the disorder in the system. CH(2)D(2) molecules in the CH(4) matrix are largely responsible for the disorder and an interesting topic for their own sake. The simple model presented may lend itself to a broader application.

1H NMR study of natural and partially deuterated ammonium hexachlorotellurate

The proton spin-lattice relaxation times in natural and partially deuterated ammonium hexachlorotellurate have been measured. At high temperature (above 50 K) the relaxation curve reveals the classical, hindered reorientation of the ammonium ion with the same activation energy for all studied samples Ea = 5.6 kJ/mol. Below 50 K, the minima which appear in the T1 temperature dependencies are related to the level-crossing. The tunnelling splitting of the ground torsional level in isotopic pure ammonium hexachlorotellurate is equal to 55 MHz and increases with increasing deuteron concentration, due to the phase transitions occurring in partially deuterated crystal. The lowest temperature minimum in isotopic pure (NH4)2TeCl6 can be interpreted as a result of the rigid ammonium ion's reorientation about the threefold crystallographic axis. The limited jumps of NH4+ are characterised by the angle delta = 4 degrees between the NH bond and [111] direction.

Deuteron NMR spectra of ND4ClO4 single crystal at low temperatures

2H NMR spectra of ND4ClO4 single crystal were obtained at v0 = 44 MHz. Orientation and temperature (1.9-75 K) dependences were measured. Fitting the spectra gives the effective quadrupole coupling constants for all deuterons and the ground torsional level structure. The isotope reduction of the (A-T) and (A-E) tunnelling splittings, i.e., the ratios of the respective splittings for NH4+ and ND4+, were found to be different. The splittings at T = 24 K are about 60% of the helium temperature values. The spectrum undergoes intermediate narrowing by reorientations between 26 and 34 K and tunnelling related features in the spectra are eradicated. After reaching the extreme narrowing limit, a doublet with gradually decreasing separation was observed, what was attributed to averaging by torsional oscillations of increasing amplitude. At high temperatures (T > 75 K), the narrow spectrum reflects fast multiaxial reorientation of the ammonium ion.