Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Diffraction-like effects in NMR diffusion studies of fluids in porous solids

Abstract

THE transport of fluids in porous media is of importance in a wide range of areas, such as oil recovery, heterogeneous catalysis and biological perfusion. The pulsed gradient spin-echo (PGSE) NMR technique has been used for many years to characterize diffusion and flow in such systems1–3. The analogy between NMR measurements in a field gradient and diffraction has been pointed out in the context of NMR imaging4 and, more recently, diffraction-like effects in the PGSE experiment have been discussed for diffusion in both impermeable5 and connected6 structures. The gradient pulse area plays the role of a wavevector, q, which can probe the structure in which the fluid diffuses. Here we report experimental confirmation of these predicted effects from proton NMR studies of a water-saturated, orientationally disordered, loosely packed array of monodisperse polystyrene spheres. The PGSE-NMR experiments may thus be used to provide an indirect, averaged image of the internal structure of porous solids at a resolution higher than that achievable with conventional NMR imaging. This is particularly advantageous for measurements on large samples, as the resolution available with the PGSE method depends only on the available range of gradient pulse amplitude and duration and is unconstrained by the factors determining resolution in conventional NMR imaging.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stejskal, E. O. & Tanner, J. E. J. chem. Phys. 42, 288–292 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Callaghan, P. T. Aust. J. Phys. 37, 359–387 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Stilbs, P. Prog. nucl. magn. Resonance Spectrosc. 19, 1–45 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Mansfield, P. & Grannell, P. K. Phys. Rev. B12, 3618–3634 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cory, D. & Garroway, A. Magn. Resonance Medicine 14, 435–444 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Callaghan, P. T., MacGowan, D., Packer, K. J. & Zelaya, F. O. J. magn. Resonance 90, 177–182 (1990).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kärger, J. & Heink, W. J. magn. Resonance 51, 1–7 (1983).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Haughey, D. P. & Beveridge, G. S. G. Can. J. chem. Engng 47, 130–140 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Graton, L. C. & Fraser, H. J. J. Geol. 43, 785–909 (1935).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Callaghan, P., Coy, A., MacGowan, D. et al. Diffraction-like effects in NMR diffusion studies of fluids in porous solids. Nature 351, 467–469 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/351467a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/351467a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing