Ferroelectric—superionically conducting phase transition via NMR

The comparative proton spectra of TGS crystals and a simple protein α-lactalbumin were obtained using High Resolution NMR. Both crystal and protein revealed 3 component spectra which were attributed to water and amino and carboxyl groups. The identity seen in both spectra let us conclude that proton mobility in TGS crystals under phase transition is as high as in liquids. The presence of fast moving protons in the vicinity of the phase transition temperature means that a polymorphous phase transition coexists with a high ionically conducting one.

Keywords:

• Ferroelectricity
• superionic conductivity
• high resolution NMR