NMR study of synthetic Gallosilicate Natrolite

Solid-state ²⁹Si and ⁷¹Ga NMR was used to study the synthetic gallosilicate Na₁₆Ga₁₆Si₂₄O₈₀ ·16H₂O (Ga–natrolite). It has been shown that Ga–natrolite contains mainly Si(GaO₄)₃(SiO₄) and Si(GaO₄)₂(SiO₄)₂-structural units and has sufficiently ordered structure. Temperature dependence of the spin–lattice relaxation time T₁ of ⁷¹Ga nuclei has also been studied using solid-state NMR. Spin–lattice relaxation of the ⁷¹Ga was determined to be governed by the electric quadrupole interaction with the crystal electric field gradients modulated by translational motion of H₂O molecules in the Ga–natrolite pores.