The electrical conductivity, density and surface tension of molten salts containing zirconium fluoride

Abstract

The temperature dependencies of specific electric conductivity, density and surface tension of molten LiF-KF-ZrF4 mixtures in a wide concentration range were investigated using relative capillary method and method of maximum pressure in a gas bubble. The obtained values of molar electric conductivity, molar volumes and excess thermodynamic functions of melt surface layer have noticeable deviations from those calculated for ideal mixtures. This phenomenon can be explained by some specific interaction between the components of studied ternary mixtures. Mixing the components in such melts is accompanied by a noticeable interaction with predominant formation of stable zirconium fluoride complex ions. The values of deviations depend on the ionic composition of the salt mixtures. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.