ABSTRACT
In NQR detection applications signal averaging by the summation of rapidly regenerated signals from multiple pulse sequences of the pulsed spin-locking (PSL) type is often used to improve sensitivity. It is important to characterise and if possible minimise PSL sequence off-resonance effects since they can make it difficult to optimise detection performance. We illustrate this with measurements of the variation of the decay time T2e and the amplitude of PSL signal trains with pulse spacing and excitation offset frequency for the 870 kHz ν+(14)N NQR line of monoclinic TNT under carefully stabilised temperature conditions. We have also carried out a similar study of signals from monoclinic TNT and 1H-1,2,3-triazole generated by a three-pulse echo sequence and the results are shown to agree well with a theoretical treatment appropriate to polycrystalline NQR samples such as TNT for which spin I=1, asymmetry parameter η≠0 and T1â«T2. Based on this theory we derive simple models for calculating TNT PSL signal trains and hence the pulse spacing and off-resonance dependence of signal amplitude and T2e which we compare to our experimental data. We discuss the influence of PSL echo summation on off-resonance effects in detected signal intensity and show how a phase-alternated multiple pulse sequence can be used in combination with the PSL sequence to eliminate variation in detection performance due to off-resonance effects.
ABSTRACT
Multiple pulse sequences are widely used for signal enhancement in NQR detection applications. Since the various (14)N NQR relaxation times, signal decay times and frequency of each NQR line have a major influence on detection sequence performance, it is important to characterise these parameters and their temperature variation, as fully as possible. In this paper we discuss such measurements for a number of the ν+ and ν- NQR lines of monoclinic and orthorhombic TNT and relate the temperature variation results to molecular dynamics. The temperature variation of the (14)N spin-lattice relaxation times T1 is interpreted as due to hindered rotation of the NO2 group about the C-NO2 bond with an activation energy of 89 kJ mol(-1) for the ortho and para groups of monoclinic TNT and 70 kJ mol(-1) for the para group of orthorhombic TNT.
ABSTRACT
The explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) C(CH(2)-O-NO(2))(4) has been studied by (1)H NMR and (14)N NQR. The (14)N NQR frequency and spin-lattice relaxation time T(1Q) for the nu(+) line have been measured at temperatures from 255 to 325K. The (1)H NMR spin-lattice relaxation time T(1) has been measured at frequencies from 1.8kHz to 40MHz and at temperatures from 250 to 390K. The observed variations are interpreted as due to hindered rotation of the NO(2) group about the bond to the oxygen atom of the CH(2)-O group, which produces a transient change in the dipolar coupling of the CH(2) protons, generating a step in the (1)H T(1) at frequencies between 2 and 100kHz. The same mechanism could also explain the two minima observed in the temperature variation of the (14)N NQR T(1Q) near 284 and 316K, due in this case to the transient change in the (14)N...(1)H dipolar interaction, the first attributed to hindered rotation of the NO(2) group and the second to an increase in torsional amplitude of the NO(2) group due to molecular distortion of the flexible CH(2)-O-NO(2) chain which produces a 15% increase in the oscillational amplitude of the CH(2) group. The correlation times governing the (1)H T(1) values are approximately 25 times longer than those governing the (14)N NQR T(1Q), explained by the slow spin-lattice cross-coupling between the two spin systems. At higher frequencies, the (1)H T(1) dispersion results show well-resolved dips between 200 and 904kHz assigned to level crossing with (14)N and weaker features between 3 and 5MHz tentatively assigned to level crossing with (17)O.
