Muoniated spin probes in the discotic liquid crystal HHTT: rapid electron spin relaxation in the hexagonal columnar and isotropic phases

Radical addition to ruthenocene at low temperatures: characterization of ruthenocenyl radicals by μSR spectroscopy

The radicals formed by muonium (Mu) addition to ruthenocene at low temperature (4–200 K) have been characterized by transverse field muon spin rotation (TF-μSR) and avoided level crossing muon spin resonance (ALC-μSR) spectroscopy. The structures of the muoniated radicals have been identified by comparing the experimentally measured muon hyperfine coupling constants with values obtained from DFT calculations (UB3LYP/DGDZVP). Mu addition was observed at the ruthenium and at the cyclopentadiene (Cp) rings, both from the exterior and interior directions. Closer agreement between the DFT calculations and the experimental values are obtained if it is assumed the structures of the Mu adducts of the Cp rings are distorted due to interactions with neighbouring molecules. Changes in the ALC-μSR spectra with temperature indicated that the electron spin relaxation rate of the Cp adducts increases with temperature; however, the specific spin relaxation mechanism is unknown.

Rate of Molecular Transfer of Allyl Alcohol across an AOT Surfactant Layer Using Muon Spin Spectroscopy

The transfer rate of a probe molecule across the interfacial layer of a water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion was investigated using a combination of transverse field muon spin rotation (TF-μSR), avoided level crossing muon spin resonance (ALC-μSR), and Monte Carlo simulations. Reverse microemulsions consist of nanometer-sized water droplets dispersed in an apolar solvent separated by a surfactant monolayer. Although the thermodynamic, static model of these systems has been well described, our understanding of their dynamics is currently incomplete. For example, what is the rate of solute transfer between the aqueous and apolar solvents, and how this is influenced by the structure of the interface? With an appropriate choice of system and probe molecule, μSR offers a unique opportunity to directly probe these interfacial transfer dynamics. Here, we have employed a well characterized w/o microemulsion stabilized by bis(2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate (Aerosol OT), with allyl alcohol (CH2═CH-CH2-OH, AA) as the probe. Resonances due to both muoniated radicals, CMuH2-C*H-CH2-OH and C*H2-CHMu-CH2-OH, were observed with the former being the dominant species. All resonances displayed solvent dependence, with those in the microemulsion observed as a single resonance located at intermediate magnetic fields to those present in either of the pure solvents. Observation of a single resonance is strong evidence for interfacial transfer being in the fast exchange limit. Monte Carlo calculations of the ΔM = 0 ALC resonances are consistent with the experimental data, indicating exchange rates greater than 10(9) s(-1), placing the rate of interfacial transfer at the diffusion limit.