Main Relaxation Research Articles

Identifying electrochemical processes by distribution of relaxation times in proton exchange membrane electrolyzers

Distribution of relaxation time (DRT) is used to interpret electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers, with an attempt to separate overlapped relaxation processes in Nyquist plots. By varying operating conditions and catalyst loadings, four main relaxation peaks arising from EIS can be identified and successfully separated from low to high frequencies as (P1) mass transport, (P2) oxygen evolution reaction kinetics, (P3) reaction kinetics (with faster time constant than P2), and (P4) ionic transport. The shape, height, and frequency of the DRT peaks change with different membrane electrode assembly (MEA) configurations. Electron microscopy reveals distinct features from the cross-sectioned MEAs which verify critical DRT results in that increasing the iridium (Ir)-anode loading from 0.2 mgIr/cm2 to 1.5 mgIr/cm2 reduces kinetic losses due to higher site-access; a thick and compacted anode, however, also triggers higher ohmic resistances from membrane/catalyst layer hydration and increases transport losses due to longer ionomer pathways. DRT provides higher resolution to EIS for deconvoluting processes with different relaxation times and the quantification of DRT peaks improves the accounting of total losses from each process.

Relaxation mechanisms of near – α titanium alloy during stress relaxation with synchronous aging

Stress relaxation with synchronous aging (SRSA) could not only reduce springback but as well improve the performance of titanium alloy components. To reveal the relaxation mechanisms during SRSA, solution treatments of Ti-6.5Al–2Zr–1Mo–1V alloy under different temperatures were carried out to obtain diverse initial microstructures. The evolutions of microstructure including phase transformation, dislocation movement and stress-induced twinning were meticulously characterized. The progress of activation energy was analyzed quantitatively by the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts equation. Results show that SRSA under all different conditions exhibits a rapid stress decline initially followed by a quasi-static stage, due to a shift in the driving force from stress-driven to thermally activated driven. The activation energy changes from a quasi-static state to a rapid rise with relaxation time. After two-phase solution treatment, the primary α (αp) dominant mechanism is the dislocation movement, including dislocation tangles and then recovery. The relaxation mechanism of the supersaturated metastable β phase is phase transformation (precipitation and growth of secondary α (αs)) and stress-induced twinning, and the αs realizes stress release through the globularization in the later stage. The full martensite microstructure was obtained by solution treatment in a single-phase region, and the main relaxation mechanism involves stacking faults, stress-induced twinning and then globularization. The enhancement in strength following SRSA is primarily attributed to the formation of αs, dislocation strengthening, and stress-induced twinning.

Hole Spin Coherence in InAs/InAlGaAs Self‐Assembled Quantum Dots Emitting at Telecom Wavelengths

Measurements of the longitudinal and transverse spin relaxation times of holes in an ensemble of vertically tunnel‐coupled self‐assembled InAs/InAlGaAs quantum dots (QDs), emitting in the telecom spectral range, are reported. The spin coherence is determined using the spin mode‐locking method in the inhomogeneous ensemble of QDs. Modeling the signal allows us to extract the hole spin coherence time to be in the range of μs. The longitudinal spin relaxation time μs is measured using the spin inertia method. The parameters investigated allow us to suggest that the main relaxation mechanism at low magnetic fields is related to the electron–hole spin exchange.

Specific line shape of the lowest frequency Raman scattering modes of triethylene glycol.

For both dielectric spectroscopy and light scattering spectra, the relaxation modes in the microwave region have been characterized by the Debye relaxation model, which is determined by the peak frequency, or by an empirically extended model (e.g., Cole-Davidson and Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts), which has the appropriate line shape. For light scattering from glass-forming liquids, the general line shape is a broader high frequency side in comparison with Debye relaxation. However, for triethylene glycol (TEG) in liquid form at room temperature, the lowest frequency Raman scattering (LFR) mode shows a peak at about 3.0GHz, which is narrower than that expected for the Debye relaxation. With increasing temperature, this peak exhibits a significant blueshift and begins to resemble the Debye relaxation shape, indicating that the LFR mode of TEG is also a relaxation mode. The narrowing of the LFR mode of TEG is suggested to be caused from the increased non-whiteness of the fluctuation correlations due to increased hydrogen bonding. This is a consequence of breaking the Debye relaxation model's approximation of the overdamping and narrowing limits in the GHz region, which was found in this study by analyzing the relaxation modes of Raman scattering using the multiple random telegraph model for evaluating thermal bath correlation. The analysis results show that the LFR relaxation times of TEG and the main dielectric relaxation overlap only by 333K. However, the second LFR mode and β-relaxation at higher frequencies coincide over a wide temperature range, suggesting that they are corresponding modes.

Coupling structural, chemical composition and stress fluctuations with relaxation dynamics in metallic glasses

Understanding the atomistic mechanisms of relaxation dynamics in metallic glasses remains a longstanding challenge. Here, using microsecond time scale molecular dynamics simulations, three main relaxation stages in metallic glasses are identified. At about 0.6Tg, chemical composition plays a dominant role in the relaxation, manifested by stress accumulation and only minimal variations in structure. As Tg approaches, the confluence of structural heterogeneity and chemical composition leads to the decoupling of relaxation mechanisms. At this temperature, the relaxation results in a structure with a lower energy state and a lower level of stress. In the supercooled liquid regime, an extensive increase in the number of closed-packed icosahedral clusters is responsible for accelerated structural relaxation while their packing frustration leads to the accumulation of intrinsic residual stresses in the glass. The atomistic origin of these dynamic relaxation modes is discussed in terms of structural, chemical composition and stress variations.

Physical aging and vitrification in polymers and other glasses: Complex behavior and size effects

AbstractThe paradigmatic view on the transformation of a supercooled liquid into a glass, so‐called vitrification or glass transition, and the subsequent time evolution of the non‐equilibrium glass, addressed as physical aging, relies on the exclusive role of the main relaxation with super‐Arrhenius temperature dependence. The aim of the present review is to carefully scrutinize the wealth of recent experimental results, above all in polymeric glasses, showing the relevance of other relaxational mechanisms in both vitrification and physical aging. While the relaxation bears dominant role in both phenomena in proximity of the glass transition temperature, , a broad view on a much wider temperature range indicates that vitrification and physical aging are mediated by non‐ mechanisms of equilibration. This review also shows that a reduction of the typical time scale of equilibration can be achieved in glasses with large free interface, namely with reduced sample size. In this way, fast non‐ mechanisms of equilibration can be exploited to convey glasses to low energy states in experimentally feasible time scales, thereby attaining information on the existence of the so‐called “ideal glass” in small sized samples.

Dual Functionality of 6-Methylthioguanine: Synergistic Effects Enhancing the Photolability of DNA Nucleobases.

A small chemical modification of the nucleobase structure can significantly enhance the photoactivity of DNA, which may incur DNA damage, thus holding promising applications in photochemotherapy treatment of cancers or pathogens. However, single substitution confers only limited phototoxicity to DNA. Herein, we combine femtosecond and nanosecond time-resolved spectroscopy with high-level ab initio calculations to disentangle the excited-state dynamics of 6-methylthioguanine (me6-TG) under variable wavelength UVA excitation (310-330 nm). We find that double substitution of nucleobases (thionation and methylation) boosts the photoactivity by introducing more reactive channels. Intriguingly, 1nNπ*, rather than 1nSπ*, acts as the doorway state engendering the formation of the long-lived reactive triplet state in me6-TG. The 1nNπ* induces a low spin-orbit coupling of 8.3 cm-1, which increases the intersystem crossing (ISC) time (2.91 ± 0.14 ns). Despite the slowed ISC, the triplet quantum yield (ΦT) still accounts for a large fraction (0.6 ± 0.1), consistent with the potential energy surface that favors excited-state bifurcation to 1nNπ*min (3.36 ± 0.15 ps) rather than 1ππ*min (5.05 ± 0.26 ps), such that the subsequent ISC to triplet via 1nNπ*min constitutes the main relaxation pathway in me6-TG. Although this ΦT is inferior to its single-substituted predecessor 6-thioguanine (6-TG, 0.8 ± 0.2), the effect of thionation in synergy with methylation opens a unique C-S bond cleavage pathway through crossing to a repulsive 1πσ* state, generating thiyl radicals as highly reactive intermediates that may invoke biological damage. This photodissociation channel is extremely difficult for conventional nucleobases. These findings demonstrate the synergistic effects of double functionality substitution in modulating excited-state dynamics and enhancing the photolabile character of DNA nucleobases, providing inspirations for the rational design of advanced photodynamic and photochemotherapy approaches.

Study on the stress relaxation with synchronous ageing of near α titanium alloy

The stress relaxation with synchronous ageing of TA15 titanium alloy was studied under a plastic pre-loading condition. The evolutions of microstructure and room temperature properties were characterized. Results show that the stress can be eliminated by 85 %, and the ultimate tensile strength can be increased by 5 % compared to the as-received sheet at room temperature. The plastic pre-loading results in dislocation entanglements in primary α (αp) and precipitation of partial secondary α (αs). The main stress relaxation mechanisms in the early stage are the precipitation and growth of αs, stress-induced twinning and the dynamic recovery in αp. The main stress relaxation mechanisms in the late stage are the globularization of αs and dislocation recovery in αp. The strength improvement after stress relaxation is mainly due to the formation of αs.

Synergistic influence of hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends on the primary dielectric relaxation rate of methanol

The primary dielectric relaxation process of monoalcohols typically exhibits characteristic Debye behavior, and the factors influencing its rate have become a research focus in recent years. It is generally believed that the hydrophilic end (i.e. the hydroxyl group) of alcohol molecule plays a major role in the primary dielectric relaxation process through a hydrogen bonding network, while the hydrophobic end mainly exerts an indirect effect by influencing the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. In this work, the factors influencing the primary dielectric relaxation process of methanol are systematically investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. Studying methanol, a simplest alcohol molecule, can provide insights into the common characteristics of monohydroxy alcohols and even alcohols in general. The well-known “wait-and-switch” model currently emphasizes the influence of hydrogen bond partner concentration on the primary dielectric relaxation rate of the system. In this work, we systematically investigate the factors influencing the primary dielectric relaxation rate of methanol by adjusting the O—H bond length (<i>d</i><sub>OH</sub>), the C—O bond length (<i>d</i><sub>CO</sub>), and the methyl diameter (<i>σ</i><sub>methyl</sub>) of methanol molecules, respectively, and significantly extend the “wait-and-switch” model. 1) By adjusting <i>d</i><sub>OH</sub>, we find that stronger total hydrogen bond energy (<i>U</i><sub>HB</sub>) in the system can enhance the correlation of molecular motion, slow down the reorientation rate of molecules and, consequently, the primary dielectric relaxation process of the system. 2) By adjusting <i>d</i><sub>CO</sub>, we discover that a longer hydrophobic end not only slows down the primary dielectric relaxation process by stabilizing the intermolecular hydrogen bond network but also directly reduces the rate of this process. 3) By adjusting <i>σ</i><sub>methyl</sub>, we find that an excessively small <i>σ</i><sub>methyl</sub> is detrimental to the stability of the hydrogen bond network, while an excessively large <i>σ</i><sub>methyl</sub> hinders thehydrogen bonds from forming. Both of these situations will have a negative influence on the correlation of molecular motion. When <i>σ</i><sub>methyl</sub> is at a moderate level, the main dielectric relaxation process of the system is the slowest. Ultimately, it is found that factors such as <i>U</i><sub>HB</sub> and related motion volume (<i>V</i><sub>CM</sub>), as well as the concentration of hydrogen bond partners in the system, collectively constitute the key factors affecting the primary dielectric relaxation rate of the system. Our results can reasonably explain experimental phenomena that the original “wait-and-switch” model cannot explain. This study contributes to a more in-depth understanding of the relaxation processes of alcohol molecules and their physical origins.

Определение эффективности психологических технологий тренинга в преду-преждении и преодолении психологического стресса у пилотов

Background. The article discusses a study of the effectiveness of psychological training “Stress Management” for pilots. The training is aimed at preventing (reducing) the negative conse-quences of professional stress as well as at preparing them for actions in high-risk conditions. The fundamental feature of this approach, in comparison with traditional psychological inter-ventions and group psychotherapy, is its targeting specific people in specific organizations. It is a combination of educational, training, psychocorrectional, rehabilitation programs with ele-ments of organizational consulting and development (Mendelevich, 2003). A common feature is being aimed at optimizing and modifying individual personality traits, developing communica-tion potential, and providing psychocorrection of deep-seated personal qualities. Objective. The article focuses on increasing competence and improving the professionally im-portant qualities of pilots. Psychological training for self-regulation (autogenic training) in combination with means of psychophysiological or psychological influence is used in order to optimize the effectiveness of professional activity. Method. To achieve the set goals and to test the hypothesis, the following complementary re-search methods were used: observation, conversation, the method of expert assessments, meth-ods of traumatic stress psychodiagnostics by I.O. Koteneva “Traumatic Event Impact Rating Scale — IES-R; DSM-4; General health — GNQ-28; PTSD; Methodology for self-assessment of situational and personal anxiety (Ch. Spielberger — Yu.L. Khanin). Results. The effectiveness of psychological training for pilots’ stress management is deter-mined by the results and the choice of methods for measuring them in two groups of variables characterizing the socio-psychological impact: a) subjectively experienced changes in the inner world, and b) objectively recorded parameters characterizing changes in various modalities of a person’s inner world combined with the sustainability of changes after “Stress Management” psychological training. Conclusions. Pilots underwent psychological training “Stress Management” used as the main relaxation method in order to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder. The use of “Stress Man-agement” training to restore the mental health of pilots in extreme flight conditions during sim-ulator training under the influence of traumatic factors has shown its effectiveness.

Rheological response of ferrofluids undergoing unsteady shear flows in the presence of a magnetic field

The rheological response of two commercial ferrofluids to transient shearing flows using a parallel disk rheometer device equipped with a magnetic cell is investigated. The basic difference between the ferrofluids is their volume fraction of magnetic particles. The first transient shear flow examined is a step-strain under the influence of a magnetic field, from which the stress relaxation functions for both magnetic fluids studied are obtained in terms of the magnetic field strength and the intensity of the step strain. The main relaxation times of both fluids are determined and shown to increase with the applied magnetic field parameter after some critical value. We also observed that the shear stress relaxes to a residual stress, which is strongly dependent on both magnetic field and strain strengths. This remarkable residual stress increases as the intensity of the magnetic field rises. In terms of the strain strength, this residual stress is found to have two interesting behaviors. First, for small values of strain, the residual stress increases linearly until a maximum is reached. Further increases in the strain strength lead to a nonlinear decrease in the residual stress. We conjecture that the linear regime is associated with a predominance of elastic deformation of the fluid microstructure while the nonlinear one to its plastic deformation or even to the structure breakup. The second experimental investigation of the magnetic fluids is carried out under the condition of oscillatory shear in a linear viscoelastic regime and in the presence of an applied magnetic field. The main viscoelastic moduli of the ferrofluids as functions of the non-dimensional frequency and the magnetic field intensity are presented. In addition, it is also shown, for both ferrofluids, that viscous and elastic characteristics are severely increased when the applied magnetic field intensity is enhanced. We also determine the shear elastic modulus for both magnetic fluids in the limit of low Deborah number as a function of the magnetic parameter. Compatibility checks between the viscous modulus and the apparent shear viscosity under conditions of the same frequency and shear rate are performed, and the first normal stress difference is calculated.

Stress-assisted atomic diffusion in NiTiHf shape memory alloys

Stress-assisted atomic diffusion behavior in NiTiHf shape memory alloys was investigated by measuring the internal friction at temperature range of 300–1070 K. A thermally activated internal friction peak was recorded in the B2-ordered phase in the temperature range of about 850–950 K (at 1 Hz, depending on alloy composition), with activation energy of 1.79 ± 0.05 and 2.00 ± 0.10 eV and relaxation time of 2.7−2+1∙10−12 and 1.7−5+1∙10−13 s for Ni50Ti35Hf15 and Ni50Ti30Hf20 alloys, respectively. It was proposed that the short-range diffusion of Ni-atoms under the stress is the main relaxation mechanism in the studied alloys. The diffusion coefficients of Ni in the B2-ordered phase were estimated to be 3.72·10−8 and 5.90·10−7 m2s−1 for Ni50Ti35Hf15 and Ni50Ti30Hf20 alloys, correspondingly.

Energy relaxation pathways and their isotope effects of water bending mode in liquid phase: A nonequilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics simulation study

Vibrational energy relaxation pathways and the rates of excited bending mode of water molecules (H2O) in bulk liquid water (H2O), and the rates of the excited bending mode of HOD molecules in D2O (isotopically diluted water) were examined via non-equilibrium ab initio molecular dynamics (NE-AIMD) simulation. The NE-AIMD simulation showed a significantly fast relaxation of the bend vibration, at the timescale of 127 fs in pure water and 144 fs in isotopically diluted water. The main relaxation pathway for pure and isotopically diluted water was found to be driven by intramolecular bend–libration coupling (84% in pure water and 96% in isotopically diluted water). In the case of pure water, intermolecular coupling between bend–bend vibrations was small but non-negligible (11%), whereas such intermolecular coupling was negligible in isotopically diluted water owing to a large frequency mismatch between the excited bend vibration and the surrounding bend vibrations.

Internal Kinematics and Structure of the Bulge Globular Cluster NGC 6569 ∗ ∗ Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Cerro Paranal (Chile), in the context of the ESO-VLT Multi-Instrument Kinematic Survey (MIKiS survey) under Large Programmes 106.21N5 (PI: Ferraro), 195.D-0750 (PI: Ferraro), 193.D-0232 (PI: Ferraro). This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All

In the context of a project aimed at characterizing the properties of star clusters in the Galactic bulge, here we present the determination of the internal kinematics and structure of the massive globular cluster NGC 6569. The kinematics has been studied by means of an unprecedented spectroscopic data set acquired in the context of the ESO-VLT Multi-Instrument Kinematic Survey of Galactic globular clusters, combining the observations from four different spectrographs. We measured the line-of-sight velocity of a sample of almost 1300 stars distributed between ∼0.″8 and 770″ from the cluster center. From a subsample of high-quality measures, we determined the velocity dispersion profile of the system over its entire radial extension (from ∼5″ to ∼200″ from the center), finding the characteristic behavior usually observed in globular clusters, with a constant inner plateau and a declining trend at larger radii. The projected density profile of the cluster has been obtained from resolved star counts, by combining high-resolution photometric data in the center, and the Gaia EDR3 catalog radially extended out to for a proper sampling of the Galactic field background. The two profiles are properly reproduced by the same King model, from which we estimated updated values of the central velocity dispersion, main structural parameters (such as the King concentration, the core, half mass, and tidal radii), total mass, and relaxation times. Our analysis also reveals a hint of ordered rotation in an intermediate region of the cluster (40″ < r < 90″, corresponding to 2r c < r < 4.5r c ), but additional data are required to properly assess this possibility.

Measurement of the Acoustic Relaxation Absorption Spectrum of CO2 Using a Distributed Bragg Reflector Fiber Laser

Reconstruction of the acoustic relaxation absorption curve is a powerful approach to ultrasonic gas sensing, but it requires knowledge of a series of ultrasonic absorptions at various frequencies around the effective relaxation frequency. An ultrasonic transducer is the most widely deployed sensor for ultrasonic wave propagation measurement and works only at a fixed frequency or in a specific environment like water, so a large number of ultrasonic transducers operating at various frequencies are required to recover an acoustic absorption curve with a relative large bandwidth, which cannot suit large-scale practical applications. This paper proposes a wideband ultrasonic sensor using a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) fiber laser for gas concentration detection through acoustic relaxation absorption curve reconstruction. With a relative wide and flat frequency response, the DBR fiber laser sensor measures and restores a full acoustic relaxation absorption spectrum of CO2 using a decompression gas chamber between 0.1 and 1 atm to accommodate the main molecular relaxation processes, and interrogates with a non-equilibrium Mach-Zehnder interferometer (NE-MZI) to gain a sound pressure sensitivity of −45.4 dB. The measurement error of the acoustic relaxation absorption spectrum is less than 1.32%.

Band Structure and Exciton Dynamics in Quasi‐2D Dodecylammonium Halide Perovskites

AbstractFemtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (FTAS) is an important tool to investigate the physics of halide perovskites having different dimensionality, morphology, and architectures, giving insights into the electronic and excitonic optical transitions. Here, FTAS on monolayer (n = 1) and multilayer (n = 2, 3) quasi‐2D perovskites in the Ruddlesden–Popper phase: DA2MAn‐1PbnI3n+1 (DAMAPI) is presented, with the dodecylammonium (DA = CH3‐(CH2)11‐NH3+) as the spacer and methylammonium (MA = CH3NH3+) as the organic cation for samples with n &gt; 1. The measurements, performed at 77 K and room temperature using several pump energies and excitation densities, allow the observation of different absorption bleaching energies. Those energies are compared with the results of first‐principles theoretical simulations based on density functional theory, the GW method, and the Bethe–Salpeter equation and assigned to transitions involving excitons with principal quantum numbers 1s and 2s. The temporal analysis of the absorption bleaching indicates the exciton–exciton annihilation as the main relaxation mechanism in the first picoseconds after excitation, while exciton radiative recombination is observed at longer time delays (&gt;100 ps). Therefore, FTAS allows the study of the carrier dynamics and, given its high sensitivity to carrier density changes, the observation of spectral features not observable with steady‐state measurements.

Effect of the physical aging on the secondary β relaxation process in a La-based metallic glass

Dynamic mechanical relaxation processes, i.e., main (α) relaxation and secondary (β) relaxation, are important issues to understand mechanical deformation, atomic diffusion as well as glass transition phenomenon of metallic glasses. In current work, La68Ni15Al15Cu2 metallic glass was selected as a protocol glass system. Mechanical relaxation processes were probed by dynamic mechanical analysis. The effects of annealing at different temperatures were analyzed by Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW)-type equation. The Kohlrausch exponent βKWW reflects the deviation from a single Debye relaxation, indicating the fact that dynamics in metallic glass are actually heterogeneous originating from the structural heterogeneity. The effects of thermal treatments were also discussed, which provides a potential solution to tune the relaxation behaviors in metallic glasses.

In situ bow reduction during sublimation growth of cubic silicon carbide

Abstract Sublimation growth of cubic silicon carbide (3C–SiC) with diameters of 50 and 100 mm was performed on freestanding homoepitaxial grown seeds. For both seeds and sublimation grown crystals, two different relaxation axes with varying curvature could be observed with the higher bent axis aligned perpendicular to the original wafer flat. A general reduction in the wafer bow independent of the starting curvature and size of the seeds could be observed. Using the X-ray imaging, we could observe in situ that the bow reduction is linked to the growth of new material and cannot be initiated by heat up or cool down processes alone. Raman spectroscopy of the grown crystals revealed that the observed flattening goes along with a tensing of the seeding layers while the surface of the crystals remains free of a stress gradient. A slight concave bending of lattice planes along the main relaxation axis could be observed by high-resolution XRD rocking curve measurements while for the lower bent axis, no lattice plane bending occurred. Full width half maximum values of the (002) reflection showed values as low as 67 arcseconds proofing the possibility to grow large-area, high-quality 3C–SiC using sublimation growth.

The Cyclic Stability of Superelasticity in Aged Ti49.3Ni50.7 Single Crystals with Oxide Surface

The cyclic stability of superelasticity in compression in [001]B2-oriented Ti49.3Ni50.7 single crystals is considered in this paper. The crystals were aged at 823 K for 1.0 h in air and helium. It has been experimentally shown that a two-layered surface thin film, consisting of a Ni-free oxide layer and a Ni-rich sublayer, appears after the oxidation at 823 K in air. The surface layers have a weak effect on the forward B2-R-B19’ martensitic transformation temperatures: TR temperature increases by 4 K; Ms and Mf temperatures decrease by 6 K. The oxide layer does not affect either the superelasticity response during fatigue tests or the temperatures of reverse B19’-B2 martensitic transformation. The cracking of the surface oxide layer during fatigue tests was not found in [001]B2-oriented single crystals aged in air. This is contributed by the relaxation of internal stresses. Such internal stresses are caused by both the formation of an oxide layer during aging and the matrix deformation at the stress-induced martensitic transformation. The main relaxation mechanisms of the internal stresses are the oriented growth of Ti3Ni4 precipitation near a thin surface film at aging in air, the formation of dislocations near the precipitation-matrix interface and a fine twinned B19’-martensite at fatigue tests.

Evaluation of single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance technology for usage in geosciences

Because of its mobility and ability to investigate exposed surfaces, single-sided (SiS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology enables new application fields in geosciences. To test and assess its corresponding potential, we compare longitudinal (T 1) and transverse (T 2) data measured by SiS NMR with those of conventional geoscientific laboratory NMR. We use reference sandstone samples covering a broad range of pore sizes. Our study demonstrates that the lower signal-to-noise ratio of SiS NMR data generally tends to slightly overestimated widths of relaxation time distributions and consequently pore size distributions. While SiS and conventional NMR produce very similar T 1 relaxation data, unbiased SiS NMR results for T 2 measurements can only be expected for fine material, i.e. clayey or silty sediments and soils with main relaxation times below . This limit is given by the diffusion relaxation rate due to the gradient in the primary magnetic field associated with the SiS NMR. Above that limit, i.e. for coarse material, the relaxation data is strongly attenuated. If considering the diffusion relaxation time of 0.2 s in the numerical data inversion process, the information content is blurred over a range larger than that of conventional NMR. However, our results show that principle range and magnitudes of the relaxation time distributions are reconstructed to some extent. Regarding these findings, SiS NMR can be helpful to solve geoscientific issues, e.g. to assess the hydro-mechanical properties of the walls of underground facilities or to provide local soil moisture data sets for calibrating indirect remote techniques on the regional scale. The greatest opportunity provided by the SiS NMR technology is the acquisition of profile relaxation data for rocks with significant bedding structures at the μm scale. With this unique feature, SiS NMR can support the understanding and modeling of hydraulic and diffusional anisotropy behavior of sedimentary rocks.