Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate $^1$H NMR $T_1$ relaxation of water from paramagnetic Gd$^{3+}$ ions in solution at 25$^{circ}$C. Simulations of the $T_1$ relaxivity dispersion function $r_1$ computed from the Gd$^{3+
}$--$^1$H dipole--dipole autocorrelation function agree within $simeq 8$% of measurements in the range $f_0 simeq $ 5 $leftrightarrow$ 500 MHz, without any adjustable parameters in the interpretation of the simulations, and without any relaxation models. The simulation results are discussed in the context of the Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan inner-sphere relaxation model, and the Hwang-Freed outer-sphere relaxation model. Below $f_0 lesssim $ 5 MHz, the simulation overestimates $r_1$ compared to measurements, which is used to estimate the zero-field electron-spin relaxation time. The simulations show potential for predicting $r_1$ at high frequencies in chelated Gd$^{3+}$ contrast-agents used for clinical MRI.
The mechanism behind the $^1$H NMR frequency dependence of $T_1$ and the viscosity dependence of $T_2$ for polydisperse polymers and bitumen remains elusive. We elucidate the matter through NMR relaxation measurements of polydisperse polymers over an
extended range of frequencies ($f_0 = 0.01 leftrightarrow$ 400 MHz) and viscosities ($eta = 385 leftrightarrow 102,000$ cP) using $T_{1}$ and $T_2$ in static fields, $T_{1}$ field-cycling relaxometry, and $T_{1rho}$ in the rotating frame. We account for the anomalous behavior of the log-mean relaxation times $T_{1LM} propto f_0$ and $T_{2LM} propto (eta/T)^{-1/2}$ with a phenomenological model of $^1$H-$^1$H dipole-dipole relaxation which includes a distribution in molecular correlation times and internal motions of the non-rigid polymer branches. We show that the model also accounts for the anomalous $T_{1LM}$ and $T_{2LM}$ in previously reported bitumen measurements. We find that molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the $T_{1} propto f_0$ dispersion and $T_2$ of similar polymers simulated over a range of viscosities ($eta = 1 leftrightarrow 1,000$ cP) are in good agreement with measurements and the model. The $T_{1} propto f_0$ dispersion at high viscosities agrees with previously reported MD simulations of heptane confined in a polymer matrix, which suggests a common NMR relaxation mechanism between viscous polydisperse fluids and fluids under confinement, without the need to invoke paramagnetism.
In this work we present an efficient numerical algorithm for the solution of interfacial statistical associating fluid theory (iSAFT) in cylindrical geometry to facilitate the study of inhomogeneous fluids having curvatures. The new solution algorith
m is shown to have a better time scaling than the elliptic function method by Malijevsky, and the transform method by Lado. Convergence, performance, and stability of the numerical algorithm are discussed. We showcase two representative applications of the new method for modeling fluid adsorption and bottlebrush polymers. By comparing iSAFT with molecular simulation results, we found that iSAFT predicts layering transitions above the triple point for methane adsorption, and it captures power-law to parabolic transitions for polymers brush microstructure. We conclude that the continuous development of solution algorithm for iSAFT enables researchers to investigate curvature effects for fluids in efficient manners.
