A neutron-scattering study of the structure of molten lithium chloride

Abstract

Using the D4B diffractometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin we have applied the neutron-diffraction technique of isotopic substitution in a study of molten lithium chloride. Although the statistical accuracy of the results is very good there appears to be some small systematic error, possibly related to deviations from the static approximation, which precludes a determination of the three partial structure factors in the usual manner. Nonetheless, by making the approximation that the cation—cation and anion-anion distributions are identical, we are able to obtain results that are in close agreement with the experimental data and with simulation results. We conclude that the coordination in molten lithium chloride is approximately tetrahedral.