Organized structures of methanol in carbon nanospaces at 303 K studies with in situ X-ray diffraction

The X-ray diffraction of methanol molecules confined in carbon micropores having different pore widths (micropore widths, 0.7 and 1.1 nm) was measured at 303 K and the structural results were compared with those of ethanol. The methanol molecules confined in micropores of 0.7 nm have a more solid-like ordered structure than in 1.1 nm. The nearest-neighbor peak of the electron radial distribution function of confined methanol did not shift from that of bulk methanol, but the amplitude was much greater than that of bulk methanol. These results were different from those of confined ethanol. Methanol molecules confined in carbon micropores have a rigid organized structure even at 303 K. However, no remarkable orientation effect, as in confined ethanol, was observed.