Proton spin diffusion for spatial heterogeneity and morphology investigations of polymers

The diffusion of Zeeman spin order in the laboratory frame for a system with microscopic spatial heterogeneity, due to either molecular mobility or chemical heterogeneity, has been analysed by solving the diffusion equation in the limit of two different models. By simulation of proton spin diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral areas for poly(ethylene oxide) we have demonstrated, for both models, the sensitivity of these observables to phase domain size and to the dimensionality of the diffusion process. The possibility to obtain information about the morphology is analysed. Results from calculations based on the two models are compared with experimental spin diffusion results from 1H NMR spectra of poly(ethylene oxide). Two methods for filtering the z-magnetization from the different phase domains in a solid are discussed. The efficiency of a magnetization dipolar filter based on magic and polarization echoes is presented.