In this work, the molecular dynamics of four organic compounds confined in
silica pores of nominal diameter 6 and 20 nm are studied by high-field (9.4
T) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the results are discussed with re
ference to the bulk substances. By using organic compounds forming soft pla
stic crystals on freezing as adsorbates, damage to the pore structures can
be avoided. NMR lineshapes, spin-lattice relaxation times (T-1), spin-spin
relaxation times (T-2) and diffusivities are reported as a function of temp
erature. Since the porous grains are much greater than the distance travell
ed by the molecules during the experiment, intracrystalline NMR parameters
were obtained. However, the short T-2(similar to 1 ms) encountered in both
the bulk and confined samples prohibited measurements of T, and the diffusi
vity in the low-temperature ordered phases. The confinement in the pores gi
ves rise to substantial changes in the phase behavior and molecular dynamic
s. Thus, the H-1 lineshape observations of the confined samples clearly rev
eal a narrow-line component superimposed on a broad resonance at temperatur
es well below the transition point of the bulk material. In the freezing re
gion, the narrow-line component is attributed to the surface layer and the
undercooled liquid in the smaller pores that remains unfrozen. In the two-c
omponent, low-temperature region, the narrow component corresponds to the s
urface layer, while the broad component originates from the crystalline pha
se at the center of the pores.