DR RELAXO
FFC-NMR consultancy service
Catalysts
Joint work with University of Cambridge on methanol-imbibed silica-based catalysts was interpreted with 3TM identifying the orientation of the methanol molecule at the surface and distance from the surface.
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Our work is able to establish whether proton exchange takes place at the surface with applications in biofuels and energy-efficient ethanol separation technologies.
The data were kindly supplied by Jordan Ward-Williams, University of Cambridge, UK
Catalysts often involve porous material imbibed with organic liquids. In the experimental results below, the proton in each of the OH and CH3 groups are separately identified.
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Please contact DR Relaxo if you would like information or support on work involving catalysts.
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Ethanol in a porous material
The relaxation is dominated by the presence of a small concentration of impurity iron(III) in the silica-based solid.
The difference in relaxation rate is because the polar component of the methanol molecule (OH) is closest to the solid surface, and therefore closest to the paramagnetic impurities. The CH3 group faces away from the surface.
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In principle, the 3TM fits can provide insight into proton exchange with the surface. Results here suggest no significant exchange of methanol OH protons with protons at the solid surface.