Structural studies of liquid D-glycerol by neutron diffraction

Abstract

Neutron diffraction measurements have been made for D-glycerol at temperatures of 193 and 296 K. The data show that the molecular conformation is similar to that of the solid phase and in good agreement with X-ray studies of the liquid in a higher temperature regime. The information on intermolecular correlations indicates a well-defined hydrogen-bond at 1·8 Å and there are significant oscillations in the pair distribution function extending to 20 Å. The results are consistent with the formation of a strongly hydrogenbonded network structure. The effect of temperature variation does not produce a large change in the structural relationships other than expected from the density variation. The general behaviour is similar to that shown by other hydrogen-bonded liquids.