Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation of Polymer Solutions

Abstract

A theory of nuclear magnetic relaxation of solutions of chain macromolecules is presented. The relaxation takes place because of the relative motion of segments of the polymer chain containing magnetic nuclei. The analysis is based on the Brownian motion of isolated polymer molecules using a model which has been applied previously for dynamic viscoelasticity and dielectric relaxation of polymer solutions. The relative motion of magnetic nuclei may be considered as arising from three sources: (a) the relative motion of pairs of atoms rigidly attached to a chain segment, (b) the relative motion of chain segments, and (c) the motion of atoms relative to a chain segment to which they are attached. Cases (a) and (b) are treated here.