Proton and Deuteron Magnetic Resonance Studies of Lamellar Lyotropic Mesophases

Lyotropic liquid crystals of the lamellar type have been studied by means of deuteron and proton magnetic resonance. The deuteron resonance from D2O molecules exhibit quadrupole splitting in the region of ∼0 to 11 kHz. The origin of this splitting and its dependence on system composition and temperature has been investigated in both two- and threecomponent systems, containing different amphiphiles, such as n-octylamine, the corresponding hydrochloride and hydrobromide, nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ethers, n-octanoic acid and n-decanol. It has been shown that the quadrupole splitting can give information concerning the rate of deuteron exchange between water and amphiphilic molecules. Effects of solubilization of hydrocarbons on the quadrupole splitting have also been investigated. High resolution proton resonance signals have also been observed and the width and shape of these signals are discussed. Some of the mesophases investigated can be aligned by means of a magnetic field of ca. 14 kilogauss. The alignment is displayed in both deuteron and proton resonance spectra.