175 research outputs found

    Role of Internal Motions and Molecular Geometry on the NMR Relaxation of Hydrocarbons

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    The role of internal motions and molecular geometry on 1^1H NMR relaxation times T1,2T_{1,2} in hydrocarbons is investigated using MD (molecular dynamics) simulations of the autocorrelation functions for in{\it tra}molecular GR(t)G_R(t) and in{\it ter}molecular GT(t)G_T(t) 1^1H-1^1H dipole-dipole interactions arising from rotational (RR) and translational (TT) diffusion, respectively. We show that molecules with increased molecular symmetry such as neopentane, benzene, and isooctane show better agreement with traditional hard-sphere models than their corresponding straight-chain nn-alkane, and furthermore that spherically-symmetric neopentane agrees well with the Stokes-Einstein theory. The influence of internal motions on the dynamics and T1,2T_{1,2} relaxation of nn-alkanes are investigated by simulating rigid nn-alkanes and comparing with flexible (i.e. non-rigid) nn-alkanes. Internal motions cause the rotational and translational correlation-times τR,T\tau_{R,T} to get significantly shorter and the relaxation times T1,2T_{1,2} to get significantly longer, especially for longer-chain nn-alkanes. Site-by-site simulations of 1^1H's along the chains indicate significant variations in τR,T\tau_{R,T} and T1,2T_{1,2} across the chain, especially for longer-chain nn-alkanes. The extent of the stretched (i.e. multi-exponential) decay in the autocorrelation functions GR,T(t)G_{R,T}(t) are quantified using inverse Laplace transforms, for both rigid and flexible molecules, and on a site-by-site bases. Comparison of T1,2T_{1,2} measurements with the site-by-site simulations indicate that cross-relaxation (partially) averages-out the variations in τR,T\tau_{R,T} and T1,2T_{1,2} across the chain of long-chain nn-alkanes. This work also has implications on the role of nano-pore confinement on the NMR relaxation of fluids in the organic-matter pores of kerogen and bitumen

    NMR Spin-Rotation Relaxation and Diffusion of Methane

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    The translational-diffusion coefficient DTD_T and the spin-rotation contribution to the 1^1H NMR relaxation time T1JT_{1J} for methane (CH4_4) are investigated using MD (molecular dynamics) simulations, over a wide range of densities ρ\rho and temperatures TT, spanning the liquid, supercritical, and gas phases. The simulated DTD_T agree well with measurements, without any adjustable parameters in the interpretation of the simulations. A minimization technique is developed to compute the angular-velocity for non-rigid spherical molecules, which is used to simulate the autocorrelation function G ⁣J(t)G_{\!J}(t) for spin-rotation interactions. With increasing DTD_T (i.e. decreasing ρ\rho), G ⁣J(t)G_{\!J}(t) shows increasing deviations from the single-exponential decay predicted by the Langevin theory for hard spheres, and the deviations are quantified using inverse Laplace transforms of G ⁣J(t)G_{\!J}(t). T1JT_{1J} is derived from G ⁣J(t)G_{\!J}(t) using the kinetic model "km" for gases (T1JkmT_{1J}^{km}), and the diffusion model "dm" for liquids (T1JdmT_{1J}^{dm}). T1JkmT_{1J}^{km} shows better agreement with T1T_1 measurements at higher DTD_T, while T1JdmT_{1J}^{dm} shows better agreement with T1T_1 measurements at lower DTD_T. T1JkmT_{1J}^{km} is shown to dominate over the MD simulated 1^1H-1^1H dipole-dipole relaxation T1RTT_{1RT} at high DTD_T, while the opposite is found at low DTD_T. At high DTD_T, the simulated spin-rotation correlation-time τJ\tau_J agrees with the kinetic collision time τK\tau_K for gases, from which a new relation 1/T1JkmDT1/T_{1J}^{km} \propto D_T is inferred, without any adjustable parameters

    Lunar lander conceptual design

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    This paper is a first look at the problems of building a lunar lander to support a small lunar surface base. A series of trade studies was performed to define the lander. The initial trades concerned choosing number of stages, payload mass, parking orbit altitude, and propellant type. Other important trades and issues included plane change capability, propellant loading and maintenance location, and reusability considerations. Given a rough baseline, the systems were then reviewed. A conceptual design was then produced. The process was carried through only one iteration. Many more iterations are needed. A transportation system using reusable, aerobraked orbital transfer vehicles (OTV's) is assumed. These OTV's are assumed to be based and maintained at a low Earth orbit (LEO) space station, optimized for transportation functions. Single- and two-stage OTV stacks are considered. The OTV's make the translunar injection (TLI), lunar orbit insertion (LOI), and trans-Earth injection (TEI) burns, as well as midcourse and perigee raise maneuvers

    Modeling micelle formation and interfacial properties with iSAFT classical density functional theory

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    Surfactants reduce the interfacial tension between phases, making them an important additive in a number of industrial and commercial applications from enhanced oil recovery to personal care products (e.g., shampoo and detergents). To help obtain a better understanding of the dependence of surfactant properties on molecular structure, a classical density functional theory, also known as interfacial statistical associating fluid theory, has been applied to study the effects of surfactant architecture on micelle formation and interfacial properties for model nonionic surfactant/water/oil systems. In this approach, hydrogen bonding is explicitly included. To minimize the free energy, the system minimizes interactions between hydrophobic components and hydrophilic components with water molecules hydrating the surfactant head group. The theory predicts micellar structure, effects of surfactant architecture on critical micelle concentration, aggregation number, and interfacial tension isotherm of surfactant/water systems in qualitative agreement with experimental data. Furthermore, this model is applied to study swollen micelles and reverse swollen micelles that are necessary to understand the formation of a middle-phase microemulsion
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