Neutron diffraction study of liquid fluorine at 77K

Abstract

Measurements of the neutron scattering static structure factor S(Q) are reported for orthobaric liquid fluorine at 77K for an incident wavelength of 1·2Å. The observed S(Q) and the atom-atom correlation function are discussed and compared with those of other halogens and oxygen. From the d(r) pair distribution function it is shown that liquid fluorine has a coordination number of first neighbours more similar to liquid oxygen than halogens. The number of atoms in the first and second coordination shell is in good agreement with a close-packed arrangement of atoms.