Motion of a spin probe in hexagonal and lamellar potassium palmitate

Abstract

Nitroxyl radical Tempol dissolved in the hexagonal liquid-crystalline phase of potassium palmitate experienced a homogeneous time averaged environment. In the lamellar phase the radicals were distributed in two environments of different solvent polarities, which was demonstrated by simulation of the spectra. In both phases the nitroxyl probes were able to tumble comparatively freely (the rotational correlation time a was 0.15–0.9 ns).