Orientational correlations in molecular liquids by neutron scattering Carbon tetrachloride and germanium tetrabromide

Neutron diffraction structure factors for liquid carbon tetrachloride and germanium tetrabromide have been measured and are analysed to determine the molecular centre positional correlation function allowing for molecular angular correlation. The analysis shows quite unequivocally that appreciable molecular orientational correlations must exist in these liquids but that it may only extend to nearest neighbours. This is thought to cause the pair distribution function for the molecular liquids to be markedly different from that for atomic liquids such as argon and the difference is discussed.