Diffusion of Isobutane in Silicalite: A Neutron Spin-Echo and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Résumé
The diffusion of isobutane in silicalite was studied using neutron
spin-echo (NSE) experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
between 444 and 550 K. The experimental and simulated diffusion
coefficients showed agreement well within an order of magnitude, as did
the activation energies of diffusion which agreed to within 3.4 kJ
mol(-1) (similar to 15%). Jump diffusion was observed by NSE with a jump
distance of 10 angstrom, also observed by the MD simulations showing
that the residence time was spent in a small section of the sinusoidal
channel, rather than the intersections between channels as reported in
previous simulations. The level of sinusoidal trapping diminishes in the
simulations with increasing temperature, where the isobutane develops
isotropic diffusion through both channel systems, as observed by NSE
experiments.