Presence of Li Clusters in Molten LiCl-Li
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Authors
Merwin, Augustus
Phillips, William C.
Williamson, Mark A.
Willit, James L.
Motsegood, Perry N.
Chidambaram, Dev
Issue Date
2016
Type
Article
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Abstract
Molten mixtures of lithium chloride and metallic lithium are of significant interest in various metal oxide reduction processes. These solutions have been reported to exhibit seemingly anomalous physical characteristics that lack a comprehensive explanation. In the current work, the physical chemistry of molten solutions of lithium chloride and metallic lithium, with and without lithium oxide, was investigated using in situ Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectra obtained from these solutions were in agreement with the previously reported spectrum of the lithium cluster, Li-8. This observation is indicative of a nanofluid type colloidal suspension of Li-8 in a molten salt matrix. It is suggested that the formation and suspension of lithium clusters in lithium chloride is the cause of various phenomena exhibited by these solutions that were previously unexplainable.
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Citation
Merwin, A., Phillips, W. C., Williamson, M. A., Willit, J. L., Motsegood, P. N., & Chidambaram, D. (2016). Presence of Li Clusters in Molten LiCl-Li. Scientific Reports, 6(1). doi:10.1038/srep25435
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PubMed ID
ISSN
2045-2322