Translational and rotational motions of n-alkane molecules within the channels of urea inclusion compounds

Incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering experiments were performed on a series of urea inclusion compounds n-CnH2n+2/urea with n=9.15. Using semi oriented samples, we were able to record the spectra in two geometries, i.e. with the Q momentum transfer vector parallel (Qparallel) and perpendicular (Qperpendicular) to the urea host tunnel axis. Reorientational and translational motions could therefore be investigated separately in both the low temperature (LT) and high temperature (HT) phases of the samples. The low frequency excitations observed in the LT phase and only in the Qparallel geometry could be assigned to the sliding mode of one sublattice (the n alkane guests) with respect to the other (the urea host). We have quantitatively analyzed the spectra by means of a model of damped oscillator and interpreted the results on the basis of the structural properties of these composite incommensurate systems. On the characteristic timescale of the experiments, reorientations of the n alkane chains are effective only in the HT phases of the compounds. (authors). 15 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs