An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy

Dynamic laser light scattering spectroscopy is used to study the motion of short chain flexible molecules in the liquid state. Depolarised Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering is used to investigate the isomers of the homologous alkane series n-pentane to n-octane. In addition to the low frequency Loren...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tatum, Ralph Peter
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 1986
Subjects:
Online Access:https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7652/1/370184.pdf
_version_ 1804072804785586176
author Tatum, Ralph Peter
author_facet Tatum, Ralph Peter
author_sort Tatum, Ralph Peter
collection LMU
description Dynamic laser light scattering spectroscopy is used to study the motion of short chain flexible molecules in the liquid state. Depolarised Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering is used to investigate the isomers of the homologous alkane series n-pentane to n-octane. In addition to the low frequency Lorentzian component, associated with molecular reorientation, a second Lorentzian component is found in the spectra from the liquids 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, 2-methylhexane, 3-methylhexane, 2,2-dimethylpentane, 2,3-dimethylpentane, 2,2,3-trimethylbutane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, n-pentane and 2-methylbutane. The contribution to the spectra of this second Lorentzian, which is broader than the Lorentzian associated with molecular reorientation and distinct from the interaction induced component, reduces as the molecules become more anisotropic and flexible. The origin of this component is associated with local translational order. The correlation times obtained from molecular reorientation are analysed in terms of a modified Stokes-Einstein-Debye relation. The Stokes-Einstein-Debye volumes obtained are interpreted as the quantity (g2/J2)apv, where (g2/J2) is associated with molecular correlation, P and α with molecular shape and V is the molecular volume. Values of α, the stick-slip coefficient, obtained for the n-alkanes indicate that the average molecular conformation is approximately midway between a sphere and an extended chain. For all the isomers α is found to decrease as the molecule be cornea more rigid and more spherical. The liquid 2,2-dimethylbutane is analysed in terms of the theory of Madden [Mol Phys, 36, 365 (1978)]; dipole-induced dipole interactions between pairs of density fluctuations cause intermolecular optical anisotropy. The results indicate that molecular reorientation may not be the predominant relaxation mechanism. Oleic acid was investigated using polarised Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy. The temperature gradient of the hypersonic frequency shift and elastic modulus show anomalous behaviour in the range 14-18°C. This suggests that oleic acid undergoes a change of phase to form a locally nematic structure about 5 °C above the melting point. Complementary measurements of viscosity, density and refractive index support this interpretation.
first_indexed 2024-07-09T04:04:58Z
format Thesis
id oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:7652
institution London Metropolitan University
language English
last_indexed 2024-07-09T04:04:58Z
publishDate 1986
record_format eprints
spelling oai:repository.londonmet.ac.uk:76522022-05-17T13:30:13Z http://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7652/ An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy Tatum, Ralph Peter 530 Physics Dynamic laser light scattering spectroscopy is used to study the motion of short chain flexible molecules in the liquid state. Depolarised Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering is used to investigate the isomers of the homologous alkane series n-pentane to n-octane. In addition to the low frequency Lorentzian component, associated with molecular reorientation, a second Lorentzian component is found in the spectra from the liquids 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, 2-methylhexane, 3-methylhexane, 2,2-dimethylpentane, 2,3-dimethylpentane, 2,2,3-trimethylbutane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, n-pentane and 2-methylbutane. The contribution to the spectra of this second Lorentzian, which is broader than the Lorentzian associated with molecular reorientation and distinct from the interaction induced component, reduces as the molecules become more anisotropic and flexible. The origin of this component is associated with local translational order. The correlation times obtained from molecular reorientation are analysed in terms of a modified Stokes-Einstein-Debye relation. The Stokes-Einstein-Debye volumes obtained are interpreted as the quantity (g2/J2)apv, where (g2/J2) is associated with molecular correlation, P and α with molecular shape and V is the molecular volume. Values of α, the stick-slip coefficient, obtained for the n-alkanes indicate that the average molecular conformation is approximately midway between a sphere and an extended chain. For all the isomers α is found to decrease as the molecule be cornea more rigid and more spherical. The liquid 2,2-dimethylbutane is analysed in terms of the theory of Madden [Mol Phys, 36, 365 (1978)]; dipole-induced dipole interactions between pairs of density fluctuations cause intermolecular optical anisotropy. The results indicate that molecular reorientation may not be the predominant relaxation mechanism. Oleic acid was investigated using polarised Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy. The temperature gradient of the hypersonic frequency shift and elastic modulus show anomalous behaviour in the range 14-18°C. This suggests that oleic acid undergoes a change of phase to form a locally nematic structure about 5 °C above the melting point. Complementary measurements of viscosity, density and refractive index support this interpretation. 1986-01 Thesis NonPeerReviewed text en https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7652/1/370184.pdf Tatum, Ralph Peter (1986) An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy. Doctoral thesis, City of London Polytechnic.
spellingShingle 530 Physics
Tatum, Ralph Peter
An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title_full An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title_fullStr An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title_full_unstemmed An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title_short An investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy
title_sort investigation of the motion of liquid short chain molecules using rayleigh brillouin spectroscopy
topic 530 Physics
url https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/7652/1/370184.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT tatumralphpeter aninvestigationofthemotionofliquidshortchainmoleculesusingrayleighbrillouinspectroscopy
AT tatumralphpeter investigationofthemotionofliquidshortchainmoleculesusingrayleighbrillouinspectroscopy