TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF THE DIAMAGNETISM OF WATER

We have measured the magnetic susceptibility of liquid water over the 20 to 60°C range. By using a new instrument based on superconducting technology, we obtain a precision nearly two orders of magnitude higher than previous studies. Notably absent from these data is any evidence for the thermal anomalies reported in several earlier studies. The data vary smoothly with temperature to within ±0.0001% of the diamagnetism, and show no abrupt changes in slope. These data will be useful for magnetic studies of molecules in aqueous solution, for calibration purposes, and for correcting NMR chemical shifts. With continued improvements in theoretical calculations, it should be possible to use magnetic susceptibility data to obtain useful information on molecular interactions in the liquid state. © 1980 American Institute of Physics.