Roles of chemically inequivalent N(CH3)4 ions in phase transition temperatures in [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 by single-crystal NMR and MAS NMR

Abstract

The temperature dependences of the 1H and 13C spin–lattice relaxation time in the laboratory frame, T1, and in the rotating frame, T1ρ, in [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 were measured by static nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR. In the ferroelastic phase, 1H T1ρ underwent molecular motion according to the Bloembergen–Purcell–Pound theory. Two inequivalent ions, a-N(CH3)4 and b-N(CH3)4, were identified by 13C cross polarization (CP)/MAS NMR. On the basis of the 13C NMR results, the existence of two chemically inequivalent a-N(CH3)4 and b-N(CH3)4 ions in the ferroelectric phase and the existence of the ferroelastic twin structure of the N(CH3)4 ions in the ferroelastic phase were discussed.