1H nuclear magnetic resonance study of mixed-valent dodecylamine-intercalated vanadium oxide nanosheets

Alkyl-chain dynamics in the mixed-valent dodecylamine-intercalated vanadium oxide nanosheets (C12VONS) was investigated by means of 400-MHz 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. Two C12VONS samples with distinct alkylammonium-to-alkylamine ratios showed distinct alkyl-chain dynamics, the alkylammonium chains being apparently more disordered than the alkylamine chains. The high-temperature spin–lattice relaxation is dominated by the conformational chain defects and the reorientational motions of the alkyl chains, respectively, in the alkylammonium-abundant system and in the alkylamine-abundant system. The reorientational and conformational changes of the alkyl chains appear to be uncorrelated with the magnetic transitions.

► Alkyl-chain dynamics in mixed-valent dodecylamine-intercalated vanadium oxide nanosheets was investigated by NMR.
► The alkylammonium chains appear to be more disordered than the alkylamine chains.
► High-temperature spin–lattice relaxation is dominated by the conformational chain defects and the reorientational motions.
► The reorientational and conformational changes of the alkyl chains are uncorrelated with the magnetic transitions.