Oriented n-alkanes in urea-d(4) inclusion complexes for inelastic neutron scattering vibrational studies

Crystalline urea inclusion complexes (UIC) formed with urea-d4 and hexadeca ne are used to orient the n-alkane relative to a neutron beam for inelastic neutron scattering studies. Deuteration of the host lattice makes it nearl y transparent for neutron studies. Comparison of the results for UIC orient ation parallel and perpendicular to the neutron beam permits separation of the low frequency vibrational spectrum into those vibrations that are paral lel to the alkane long axis and those perpendicular to the long axis.