1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), DMPC with perdeuterated acyl tails (DMPC-d54), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-snglycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), DPPC-d62, 1-palmitoyl-2oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-snglycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) were obtained from Avanti Polar Lipids. Hydrogenated and perdeuterated n-eicosane (C20/C20d) and n-triacontane (C30/C30d), methanol and chloroform were obtained from Sigma Aldrich. Multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) of phospholipids containing n-eicosane or n-triacontane were prepared by first co-dissolving the lipid and 10 and 5 vol% of n-alkane (for C20 and C30, respectively) in chloroform. Here, the volume fraction refers to the number of alkane carbons per total number of carbons in alkane plus lipid acyl tails. The solvent was then evaporated under a nitrogen gas stream to produce a dry lipid film. During evaporation, the solution was simultaneously subjected to sonication in a heatbath that was kept at a temperature above the bulk n-alkane melting and the lipid bilayer melting temperatures. The resulting lipid films were kept at reduced pressure over night to remove any remaining solvent. Samples containing DMPC, POPC or DOPC were rehydrated in a high humidity atmosphere: Lipid films and about 2 ml of water were placed in a desiccator. The desiccator was then evacuated by briefly attaching it to a vacuum pump, until the water had de-gased. Time spent in the evacuated desiccator varied between four hours and one day for the different samples. This technique resulted in homogeneous hydration of about 9-20 water molecules per lipid (values determined by 1 H MAS NMR were typically lower by 5 water molecules per lipid, compared to the weighted amounts). For the DPPC-based films, the desiccator method only resulted in about 4 water molecules per lipid. Therefore, water content in DPPC samples was adjusted by weighting the appropriate water amounts, aiming for a water content of 18 water molecules per lipid. This procedure resulted in hydration levels of nw=11-18, as determined by 1 H MAS NMR. All samples were frozen before and between measurements. For NMR, samples were centrifuged into magic-angle-spinning (MAS) rotor inserts (Bruker) fitting approximately 20 mg.