Electrical Conductivities of Molten Cadmium—Cadmium Halide Solutions

Abstract

The electrical conductivities of molten cadmium—cadmium halide solutions were determined as a function of composition and temperature to 1000°C. The composition ranges studied were 0–20, 0–30, and 0–15 mole % Cd for the chloride, bromide, and iodide systems, respectively. The specific conductivity increased with temperature in all systems at all compositions. In the chloride system, the conductivity decreased below 800°C but increased above 900°C as the cadmium concentration increased. In the bromide and iodide system the conductivity increased monotonically with composition at all temperatures. The conductivity and activation energy for conduction in the metal—salt solutions deviated only a small amount from that of the pure salt. Thus, electronic conduction does not appear to be a major conductivity mechanism in the Cd—CdX₂ systems in the temperature and concentration range studied.