Inversion in the magnetic field effect of benzilketyl:SDS radical pair at high fields

The effect of a high magnetic field (up to 13.3 T) on radical pairs generated by the hydrogen abstraction of the photoexcited benzil triplet from sodium dodecyl sulphate has been studied. It was found that both the radical pair lifetime and the free radical yield increase with an increase of field from 0 to 4 T. A further increase of field causes a decrease in both. This reversal of the magnetic field effect (MFE) above 4 T has been explained in terms of relaxation mechanism and competition between a number of rate processes. The effect of reducing the micelle size on the MFE inversion has been discussed.