Multidimensional NMR diffusion studies in microporous materials

The diffusional behavior of selected hydrocarbons adsorbed in NaX zeolites were investigated with pulsed magnetic field gradient (PFG) NMR methods in two different ways. First, the exchange time τ_exch of n-pentane between the interior and the exterior of the zeolite crystals was determined by two-dimensional diffusion exchange spectroscopy. The results were compared to the mean life time τ_intra as obtained by fast NMR tracer desorption method. Second, the diffusion of a propylene–propane mixture adsorbed in the zeolite was studied by Fourier transform PFG NMR, thus employing the chemical shift of the individual organic constituents as a second dimension for a selective evaluation of the PFG NMR signal decays and the subsequent extraction of corresponding diffusion coefficients. Modifications of NMR pulse sequences necessary for the application of ultra-high pulsed magnetic field gradients of up to in microporous materials are briefly discussed for both kind of experiments.