Microscopic structure of low temperature liquid ammonia: A neutron diffraction experiment

Neutron diffraction measurements on liquid ammonia at two temperature states on the liquid-vapor coexistence curve are presented. Three isotropic mixtures of hydrogenated and deuterated ammonia have been studied and the three radial atom–atom distribution functions extracted at 213 K and 273 K. The comparison of the experimental results with the partial radial distribution functions for orientationally uncorrelated molecules, shows some evidence for hydrogen bonding in liquid ammonia but this is much less pronounced than that found in water under ambient conditions.