Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of binary and related systems.

This thesis is concerned mainly with the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to study the effect of added substances on water structure. An initial survey of binary liquid mixtures was carried out paying particular attention to the effect of cosolvent concentration and the temperature of the system. Results are interpreted in terms of structuring effects modified by acid/base interactions. Subsequent studies of electrolytes in aqueous methanol and t-butanol are reported in view of the different effects of the two alcohols on water itself. Results are explained without invoking long-range structuring effects by the salts. In view of the controversy surrounding the effect of urea on water structure, a study of urea in aqueous methanol and aqueous t-butanol is reported. Evidence for urea as a structure breaker is reported. In recent years, an increasing amount of work has been reported studying the nuclear magnetic resonance of species other than the proton. The thallium nucleus provides a very favourable species for such studies and a very brief survey of its properties in binary aqueous mixtures is reported. Ultraviolet absorption studies of certain of the systems are reported and a tentative explanation of the results is put forward.