Structural modification in molten metal chloride and alkali chloride mixtures

Structure factors have been measured by time-of-flight neutron diffraction for NiCl 2 -KCl, NiCl 2 -LiCl, and ZnCl 2 -LiCl binary molten salt mixtures. The results are consistent with those from earlier thermodynamic and spectrophotometric studies, in which the degree of structural modification was found to depend on the type of alkali cation. The NiCl 2 -LiCl and ZnCl 2 -LiCl systems appear to be almost ideal admixtures of the pure salts. However, adding KCl to NiCl 2 results in enhancement of the local structure and intermediate range order. The first sharp diffraction peak at Q approximately=1 AA -1 in pure NiCl 2 , which is more prominent than previously reported, appears to be enhanced by the addition of KCl up to a high concentration of alkali halide. No change is apparent in NiCl 2 -LiCl or ZnCl 2 -LiCl.