Spin-lattice relaxation in solid and liquid CH4–Kr mixtures

Abstract

T1 has been measured at 4 MHz and 78 K < T < 120 K in mixtures having a Kr molar fraction c up to 0.8. The transition temperature Ts, corresponding to the solidus curve, has been determined for several values of c by observing the large discontinuity in T1 as in pure CH4. In the solid phase, the intermolecular dipolar contribution to the relaxation rate is found to be dominant at T > 80 K, and our data are in agreement with a simple model based on the Torrey–Sholl theory. Above the melting point, T1 becomes independent of c, thus suggesting that relaxation may be driven by intramolecular interactions in the liquid phase.