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Elucidating Ionic Correlations Beyond Simple Charge Alternation in Molten MgCl 2 –KCl Mixtures...

Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Publication Date
Page Numbers
7603 to 7610
Volume
10
Issue
24

The development of technologies for nuclear reactors based on molten salts has seen a big resurgence. The success of thermodynamic models for these hinges in part on our ability to predict at the atomistic level the behavior of pure salts and their mixtures under a range of conditions. In this letter, we present high-energy X-ray scattering experiments and molecular dynamics simulations that describe the molten structure of mixtures of MgCl2 and KCl. As one would expect, KCl is a prototypical salt in which structure is governed by simple charge alternation. In contrast, MgCl2 and its mixtures with KCl display more complex correlations including intermediate-range order and the formation of Cl–-decorated Mg2+ chains. A thorough computational analysis suggests that intermediate-range order beyond charge alternation may be traced to correlations between these chains. An analysis of the coordination structure for Mg2+ ions paints a more complex picture than previously understood, with multiple accessible states of distinct geometries.