J Mater Sci Technol ›› 1998, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (1): 1-8.

• Articles •     Next Articles

Nonmetal-Metal Transition in Solutions of Metals in Molten Salts

M. P. Tosi(International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, I-34014 Trieste, Italy)   

  • Received:1998-01-28 Revised:1998-01-28 Online:1998-01-28 Published:2009-10-10

Abstract: Solutions of metals in molten salts present a rich phenomenology: localisatlon of electrons in disordered ionic media, activated electron transport increasing with metal concentration towards a nonmetal-metal (NM-M) transition, and liquid-liquid phase separation. A brief review of progress in the study of these systems is given in this article, with main focus on the NM-M transition. After recalling the known NM-M behaviour of the component elements in the case of expanded fluid alkali metals and mercury and of solid halogens under pressure, the article focuses on liquid metal-molten salt solutions and traces the different NM-M behaviours of the alkalis in their halides and of metals added to polyvalent metal halides.