Kinetics and mechanism of reaction between mercuric bromide and silver iodide in solid state

Abstract

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction between mercuric bromide and silver iodide were studied in the solid state. It has been established that HgBr 2 reacts via the gaseous state and that the reaction proceeds through counter diffusion of Ag + and Hg 2+. Thermal and conductivity measurements indicate that the reaction is multistep. X-ray and chemical analyses show that HgBr 2 and AgI mixed in different molar ratios give rise to different products. The data for the lateral diffusion fitted the equation X i n = kt, where X i is the thickness of the product layer at time t, and n and k are constants. Evidence for the formation of solid solutions between reactant and product phases is reported.