Hydroxyl Motion in Mg(OH)2

We report on pulsed 1H NMR studies of the hydroxyl OH groups in magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2 at 77–355 K at 42.5772 MHz. The Fourier-transformed NMR spectra show the superposition of broad and narrow components. The broad NMR spectrum is assigned to dipole-coupled protons on a rigid lattice in the bulk Mg(OH)2, while the narrow NMR spectrum is assigned to extrinsic protons, e.g., conduction protons facilitated by lattice defects. We found a monotonically decreasing linewidth of the broad NMR spectrum on heating. The monotonic decrease in the linewidth is associated with hopping protons around a threefold axis (rotational hydroxyl protons).