Neutron scattering study of amorphous tri-O-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin

Low energy excitations in crystalline and amorphous solids of Tri-O-methyl- beta-cyclodextrin (TMCD) were studied by neutron scattering and calorimetri c techniques. Amorphous solids of TMCD were prepared by two different ways: mechanical milling and liquid-quenching amorphization. Both the amorphous solids showed a boson peak at around 2 meV and there was no significant dif ference between them. It was noted that crystalline TMCD also showed a boso n peak. This anomalous boson peak in the crystalline state was confirmed by low temperature heat capacity measurements. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.