Magnetization transfer in a partly deuterated lyotropic liquid crystal by single- and dual-frequency RF irradiations

The mechanism of magnetization transfer (MT) in a lyotropic liquid crystal made of sodium dodecyl sulfate, decanol, and water molecules is investigated by using deuterated molecules and single- and dual-frequency RF irradiations. The resulting Z-spectra suggest that the decanol molecules are mainly responsible for the MT effects in this system, through proton exchange to water. This is further confirmed by monitoring the relaxation of dipolar order, which allows one to estimate the transfer rate of magnetization from decanol to water. The potential benefits of using dual-frequency RF irradiation for inducing MT effects are explored through numerical solutions to a MT model based on Provotorov's partial saturation theory.