Direct determination of ionic solvation from neutron diffraction

Journal Article · Fri Sep 24 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.217.4566.1249· OSTI ID:6165087

Narten, A H; Hahn, R L

Much information on ionic solvation in electrolyte solutions has been inferred from macroscopic thermodynamic and transport properties and from spectroscopy. These ion-water interactions can now be probed directly and unambiguously by neutron diffraction. Such measurements have been done with neodymium trichloride solutions in heavy water that are identical in every respect except the isotopic state of the neodymium ions; these experiments yield in a straightforward manner the distribution of oxygen and deuterium atoms from the water molecules in the first hydration sphere of the neodymium ion. Each ion is surrounded by 8.6 oxygen atoms at a distance of 2.48 angstroms and 16.7 deuterium atoms at 3.13 angstroms indicating a well-defined first hydration sphere of water molecules, the deuterium atoms pointing away from the cation.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6165087
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 217; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY WATER
HYDRATION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NEODYMIUM CHLORIDES
NEODYMIUM COMPOUNDS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
SOLVATION
WATER