Temperature-dependent Changes Research Articles

Contact Resistance Behavior of Land Grid Array Sockets at Cryogenic Temperatures Required for Quantum Measurements

The current state of quantum device maturity proposes the use of removable, reusable interconnection means between such device and their classical microelectronic measurement system. One such means is a land grid array (LGA) socket, used pervasively in microelectronics but relatively untested at cryogenic temperatures necessary for most quantum technologies. This article investigates two distinct commercially available LGA socket technologies with respect to contact resistance performance under cryogenic temperature measurement conditions. Test methodologies were successfully developed for both sockets, demonstrating predictable and repeatable contact resistance values during multiple excursions down to 1.5 K and a single excursion to 10 mK. The experimental data show that contact resistance of individual interconnection sites decreased from 30 to 40 $\text{m}\Omega $ at room temperature to 14-17 $\text{m}\Omega $ at 1.5 K and to 6–8 $\text{m}\Omega $ at 10 mK, thus supporting their reliable use in cryogenic measurement applications. Theoretical calculations based on the construction of the microspring socket validated that measured values behaved in a manner that was consistent with temperature-dependent changes in resistivity of the metals comprising the socket interconnection. Spring deflection allowances compensated for any temperature-driven movement of components within the assembly, thus enabling predictable resistance behavior. Regarding the elastomer socket, the high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the elastomer bulk material induced large variations in socket compression across the temperature range investigated. Sufficient compression to provide consistent contact resistance values at cryogenic temperatures imposed the need for very high compression at room temperature, which may place into question the longer term integrity of this solution. Nevertheless, a preliminary investigation (five cryogenic cycles and subsequent construction analysis) did not reveal any degradation in either socket type.

Experimental study of chlorite authigenesis and influence on porosity maintenance in sandstones

ABSTRACTChlorite is recognized as a key mineral for preserving reservoir quality in deeply buried sandstones, as chlorite coatings inhibit the nucleation of quartz overgrowths. A limited understanding of the mechanisms and conditions under which these authigenic chlorite coatings form prevents the accurate forward modeling of diagenesis and limits reservoir quality models critical to a wide range of geoscience applications. We present experimental data that show how authigenic chlorite grain coatings preserve porosity in deeply buried sandstone reservoirs, using a series of hydrothermal reactor experiments to simulate quartz cementation and capture the evolving porosity. To simulate reservoir evolution, berthierine-bearing sandstone samples (Lower Jurassic Cook Formation, Oseberg Field, 30/6-17R, Norway) were exposed to a silica-supersaturated Na2CO3 (0.1 M) solution for 72 hours at temperatures of between 100 and 250 °C. Quantification of the temperature-dependent changes in the volume of authigenic chlorite, the thickness and coverage of the clay coatings, and the sample porosity shows increases in chlorite volume (from ∼ 2% to ∼ 14%). This occurs by the transformation, of patchy amorphous berthierine into grain-coating Fe-chlorite cements through a mixture of the solid-state transformation and dissolution–precipitation mechanisms, siderite replacement, and direct precipitation on clay-free surfaces. With increasing temperature, the chlorite coatings increase from ∼ 3.8 μm to ∼ 5.4 μm thick and expand their grain surface coverage from ∼ 28% to ∼ 50%. The face-to-edge and face-to-face foliaceous structure of the clay coatings produced are morphologically similar to those observed in deeply buried sandstones. Only above temperatures of 175 °C is porosity preserved as a consequence of inhibition of quartz overgrowths and the generation of secondary porosity.Our quantitative approach enhances our knowledge regarding the temperature and mineral precursor influence on chlorite-coating authigenesis and therefore provides key insight for chlorite grain coatings for reservoir potential in sedimentary sequences greater than 2.5 km.

Potential remote drug delivery failures due to temperature-dependent viscosity and drug-loss of aqueous and emulsion-based fluids

The ability to inject wild animals from a distance using remote drug delivery systems (RDDS) is one of the most effective and humane practices in wildlife management. Several factors affect the successful administration of drugs using RDDS. For example, temperature-dependent viscosity change in aqueous (Newtonian) or water-in-oil emulsion (non-Newtonian) fluids, commonly used in tranquilizer and adjuvant-based vaccines, respectively, can potentially result in drug delivery failure. To better understand impacts due to viscosity changes, we investigated the fluid dynamics and ballistics involved in remote drug delivery. Our research was divided into two phases: we investigated the viscosimetric physics in the first phase to determine the fluid behavior under different temperature settings, simulating recommended storage temperature (7ºC), plus an ambient temperature (20ºC). In the second phase of our study, we assessed the drug delivery efficiency by specialized darts, using a precision CO2 projector and a blowgun. Efficiency assessment was done by comparing the original drug volume with the actual volume injected after firing the dart into a fresh pork hide mounted on a ballistic gel. Before testing, we configured the required minimum impact velocity for our parameters and intramuscular injection (determined as ˃ 40 m/sec). All executed dart-deployments performed satisfactorily, despite initial concerns of potential incomplete drug delivery, however, noteworthy drug loss was observed (˃10%) associated with drug residues in syringe/dart dead space and within the transfer needle. This could potentially result in inaccurate dosing depending on the drug used. Furthermore, the use of a blowgun for remote drug delivery (>3m) is discouraged, especially when using specialized darts, as the required minimum dart velocity for adequate penetration is difficult to reach, in addition to a loss of precision during targeting.

Resistance Temperature Detectors Fabricated via Dual Fused Deposition Modeling of Polylactic Acid and Polylactic Acid/Carbon Black Composites.

Planar-type resistance temperature detectors (P-RTDs) were fabricated via fused deposition modeling by dual nozzle extrusion. The temperature-sensing element of the fabricated sensor was printed with electrically conductive polylactic acid/carbon black (PLA/CB) composite, while the structural support was printed with a PLA insulator. The temperature-dependent resistivity change of PLA/CB was evaluated for different stacking sequences of PLA/CB layers printed with [0°/0°], [−45°/45°], and [0°/90°] plies. Compared to a PLA/CB filament used as 3D printing source material, the laminated structures exhibited a response over 3 times higher, showing a resistivity change from −10 to 40 Ω∙cm between −15 and 50 °C. Then, using the [0°/90°] plies stacking sequence, a P-RTD thermometer was fabricated in conjunction with a Wheatstone bridge circuit for temperature readouts. The P-RTD yielded a temperature coefficient of resistance of 6.62 %/°C with high stability over repeated cycles. Fabrication scalability was demonstrated by realizing a 3 × 3 array of P-RTDs, allowing the temperature profile detection of the surface in contact with heat sources.

Nondestructive detection of low temperature induced stress on postharvest quality of kápia type sweet pepper

AbstractApplication of cold storage temperatures below optimum induces a high risk and threat of chilling injury (CI) in the case of sensitive commodities. Sweet pepper belongs to this group of vegetables, so our main objective was to investigate and monitor the effect of non-optimal temperatures (2.5 and 5 °C) induced stress (chilling injury) on kápia type sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) during its postharvest storage by nondestructive quality measuring methods. Fresh, semi-matured (reddish-green colored) samples of ‘Kapitány F1’ cultivar were stored at 2.5, 5 and 10 °C for 7 d followed by 7 d shelf-life. Nondestructive texture measurements were carried out by a purpose built tabletop acoustic stiffness device. Surface color and chlorophyll content related quality indices were evaluated by a chroma meter, a DA-meter® and a chlorophyll fluorescence imaging system. High resolution digital pictures were captured and analyzed for possible CI defects by means of surface color values (normalized RGB, hue and saturation). According to our results, the evaluated quality indices (DA-index®, acoustic stiffness coefficient, surface color parameters; F0, Fm, Fv and Fv/Fm chlorophyll fluorescence parameters) clearly represented the temperature dependent quality changes during low temperature storage, subsequently followed by ambient shelf-life. Samples stored under and at 5 °C showed the chilling temperature stressed symptoms of delayed and partly retarded postharvest ripening, even under simulated shelf-life conditions, but without the onset and manifestation of the characteristic visible symptoms of chilling injury. This may raise doubts and suggest possible future research areas regarding the role of non-optimal cold storage temperatures induced stress, the effect of chilling injury contributing factors and consequences.

Ab initio atomistic description of temperature-induced phase changes: The cases of zirconia and Ti-Y-co-doped zirconia

Zirconium dioxide, or zirconia, is a common and useful ceramic with a wide range of applications, from fuel cells to odontology. Its phase diagram is simple and well understood, having a structure which is monoclinic at temperatures up to 1500 K, tetragonal up to 2700 K and cubic up to 3000 K. Zirconia is rarely used in its pure form, being typically doped with ${\text{Y}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{3}$, MgO or ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$, and in this regime its phase diagram becomes much more complex. In this context, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) can provide a detailed atomistic description of the phase diagram of this system, accurately describing its stable phases and transition regions. In this work, 3 mol-% ${\text{Y}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{3}$ (3YSZ) crystals doped with different Ti contents were studied at the density-functional level. For Ti contents varying from 0 to 30 at%, a global search algorithm was first used to explore the 0 K potential-energy surface and determine the most stable sites for the added Ti atoms. It was found that, at low Ti compositions ${X}_{\text{Ti}}$, small ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ clusters form, followed by ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ channels and infinite ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ planes at larger ${X}_{\text{Ti}}$ values, and that the highest stability is achieved at 9% Ti. AIMD simulations within the isothermal-isobaric NPT ensemble were then performed to characterize the temperature-dependent phase changes as a function of the Ti content, where it was found that the Ti-doped structures presented considerably smaller volume changes near the phase-change critical temperatures. These findings suggest that YSZ materials doped with a small amount of Ti are both energetically and kinetically more stable than the undoped counterparts, in the ideal proportion of 3% ${\text{TiO}}_{2}$ for every 1% ${\text{Y}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{3}$ doping.

First In Situ X-ray Scattering Measurements of Insect Body Surface Lipids: American Cockroach.

In situ X-ray scattering measurements of insect body surface lipids were successfully attempted by using a synchrotron X-ray source. The temperature-dependent structural changes of the cuticular hydrocarbons covering the forewing of an American cockroach were able to be followed, which showed that the majority of the hydrocarbons were in a liquid state even far below the critical temperature of water transpiration through the body surface. The results clearly demonstrated that synchrotron radiation X-ray scattering has the potential to obtain the detailed information about the intact lipid structure and physical properties on insect body surfaces.

Copolyaspartates: Uncovering Simultaneous Thermo and Magnetoresponsiveness

A series of poly-β-benzyl-l-aspartate-co-poly-β-phenethyl-l-aspartates varying in their copolymer composition as well as with selectively introduced deuterium labels in the backbone or the side-chain were synthesized and their temperature-dependent conformation and orientation with respect to an external magnetic field were characterized by measuring 2H quadrupolar splittings [nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy] and circular dichroism. All copolymers demonstrate a temperature-dependent change of their helical conformation from right-handed to left-handed (helix reversal) and a change of their alignment from perpendicular to parallel with respect to the magnetic field in an anisotropic solution (helix realignment) at different temperatures. Both effects react differently to a change of copolymer composition, but are concentration, dispersity, and molecular weight independent as well as unaffected by the initiator used for polymerization. The helix realignment by 90° in a magnetic field has not been observed previously for these copolyaspartates. Its existence is proven directly by measurement of the quadrupolar splitting of the specifically labeled polymers and comparison to calculated quadrupolar splittings. Furthermore, the temperature of both transitions was found to be dependent on deuteration at the N-position. The uncovering of the thermo and magnetoresponsiveness will lead to an improved understanding and application scope of the copolyaspartates (e.g., in their use as alignment media in NMR spectroscopy).

3D printed polymer positive models for the investment casting of extremely thin-walled single crystals

Abstract The aim of this research work is the adjustment of the conventional investment casting process for the single crystal casting of thin-walled near net shape specimen with cast wall thickness down to 0.4 mm. Polymer models for manufacturing of shell molds for investment casting of Ni-based superalloys were produced by additive manufacturing from three different thermosets and one thermoplastic. Temperature dependent mass change, thermal expansion and burnout behavior of the polymers were investigated. All thermosets turned out to have inappropriate burnout behavior due to high thermal expansion. Smoothed polyvinyl butyral (PVB) could be burned out without cracking the shell mold. High quality thin-walled single crystal Ni-based superalloy M247LC was cast successfully in shell molds manufactured using polyvinyl butyral (PVB) models which were subsequently burned out and thereafter the shell molds were sintered.

Controls on the present-day dynamic topography predicted from mantle flow models since 410 Ma

SUMMARYMantle convection induces dynamic topography, the lithosphere's surface deflections driven by the vertical stresses from sublithospheric mantle convection. Dynamic topography has important influences on a range of geophysical and geological observations. Here, we studied controls on the Earth's dynamic topography through 3-D spherical models of mantle convection, which use reconstructed past 410 Myr global plate motion history as time-dependent surface mechanical boundary condition. The numerical model assumes the extended-Boussinesq approximation and includes strongly depth- and temperature-dependent viscosity and phase changes in the mantle. Our results show that removing the chemical layer above the core–mantle boundary (CMB) and including depth-dependent thermal expansivity have both a limited influence on the predicted present-day dynamic topography. Considering phase transitions in our models increases the predicted amplitude of dynamic topography, which is mainly influenced by the 410 km exothermic phase transition. The predicted dynamic topography is very sensitive to shallow temperature-induced lateral viscosity variations (LVVs) and Rayleigh number. The preservation of LVVs significantly increases the negative dynamic topography at subduction zones. A decrease (or increase) of Rayleigh number increases (or decreases) the predicted present-day dynamic topography considerably. The dynamic topography predicted from the model considering LVVs and with a Rayleigh number of 6 × 108 is most compatible with residual topography models. This Rayleigh number is consistent with the convective vigor of the Earth as supported by generating more realistic lower mantle structure, slab sinking rate and surface and CMB heat fluxes. The evolution of the surface heat flux pattern is similar to the long-term eustatic sea level change. Before the formation of Pangea, large negative dynamic topography formed between the plate convergence region of Gondwana and Laurussia. The predicted dynamic topography similar to that of present-day has already emerged by about 262 Ma. Powers for degrees 1–3 dynamic topography at 337 and 104 Ma which correspond to times of higher plate velocities and higher surface heat fluxes are larger.

Thermal fault detection by changes in electrical behaviour in lithium-ion cells

With this paper a method to detect faults of lithium-ion cells during operation is first presented and later validated by experiment. Since every cell fault will increase the cell temperature towards its process until thermal runaway the method uses the temperature-dependent change of the cell impedance as fault feature. Using a 46 Ah pouch cell the model was parameterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and then validated during dynamic load. For this purpose the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) was chosen. The presence of a fault was simulated by heating the cell once uniformly and once locally and the progression of the chosen fault feature analysed. For both test cases the method proposed was able to detect the present heat source before the thermal runaway was triggered and venting or voltage drop were observed.

Coupling between fast and slow oscillator circuits in Cancer borealis is temperature-compensated.

Coupled oscillatory circuits are ubiquitous in nervous systems. Given that most biological processes are temperature-sensitive, it is remarkable that the neuronal circuits of poikilothermic animals can maintain coupling across a wide range of temperatures. Within the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the crab, Cancer borealis, the fast pyloric rhythm (~1 Hz) and the slow gastric mill rhythm (~0.1 Hz) are precisely coordinated at ~11°C such that there is an integer number of pyloric cycles per gastric mill cycle (integer coupling). Upon increasing temperature from 7°C to 23°C, both oscillators showed similar temperature-dependent increases in cycle frequency, and integer coupling between the circuits was conserved. Thus, although both rhythms show temperature-dependent changes in rhythm frequency, the processes that couple these circuits maintain their coordination over a wide range of temperatures. Such robustness to temperature changes could be part of a toolbox of processes that enables neural circuits to maintain function despite global perturbations.

In Situ Investigations on Stress and Microstructure Evolution in Polycrystalline Ti(C,N)/α-Al2O3 CVD Coatings under Thermal Cycling Loads

The stress behavior and the associated microstructure evolution of industrial Ti(C,N)/α-Al2O3 coatings subjected to thermal cycling are investigated by in situ energy dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Temperature-dependent stresses and changes in microstructural parameters (domain size and microstrain) are analyzed by in situ measurements at different temperatures between 25 and 800 °C, both in the heating up and cooling down step, including several thermal cycles. Transmission electron microscopy is used to evaluate defects before and after the thermal treatment. The introduction of high compressive stresses in α-Al2O3 by top-blasting is connected to a high defect density at the basal planes of the alumina layer. The stress relaxation of the alumina layer at high temperatures is associated with a successive annihilation of defects until a reversible temperature-dependent stress condition is set. Top-blasting does not change the initial microstructure and residual stress of the Ti(C,N) layer. Ti(C,N) shows a cyclic stress behavior associated with the heat treatment and an elastic deformation behavior in the temperature range investigated.

A new one-site coarse-grained model for water: Bottom-up many-body projected water (BUMPer). II. Temperature transferability and structural properties at low temperature.

A number of studies have constructed coarse-grained (CG) models of water to understand its anomalous properties. Most of these properties emerge at low temperatures, and an accurate CG model needs to be applicable to these low-temperature ranges. However, direct use of CG models parameterized from other temperatures, e.g., room temperature, encounters a problem known as transferability, as the CG potential essentially follows the form of the many-body CG free energy function. Therefore, temperature-dependent changes to CG interactions must be accounted for. The collective behavior of water at low temperature is generally a many-body process, which often motivates the use of expensive many-body terms in the CG interactions. To surmount the aforementioned problems, we apply the Bottom-Up Many-Body Projected Water (BUMPer) CG model constructed from Paper I to study the low-temperature behavior of water. We report for the first time that the embedded three-body interaction enables BUMPer, despite its pairwise form, to capture the growth of ice at the ice/water interface with corroborating many-body correlations during the crystal growth. Furthermore, we propose temperature transferable BUMPer models that are indirectly constructed from the free energy decomposition scheme. Changes in CG interactions and corresponding structures are faithfully recapitulated by this framework. We further extend BUMPer to examine its ability to predict the structure, density, and diffusion anomalies by employing an alternative analysis based on structural correlations and pairwise potential forms to predict such anomalies. The presented analysis highlights the existence of these anomalies in the low-temperature regime and overcomes potential transferability problems.

Revealing biophysical properties of KfrA-type proteins as a novel class of cytoskeletal, coiled-coil plasmid-encoded proteins

BackgroundDNA binding KfrA-type proteins of broad-host-range bacterial plasmids belonging to IncP-1 and IncU incompatibility groups are characterized by globular N-terminal head domains and long alpha-helical coiled-coil tails. They have been shown to act as transcriptional auto-regulators.ResultsThis study was focused on two members of the growing family of KfrA-type proteins encoded by the broad-host-range plasmids, R751 of IncP-1β and RA3 of IncU groups. Comparative in vitro and in silico studies on KfrAR751 and KfrARA3 confirmed their similar biophysical properties despite low conservation of the amino acid sequences. They form a wide range of oligomeric forms in vitro and, in the presence of their cognate DNA binding sites, they polymerize into the higher order filaments visualized as “threads” by negative staining electron microscopy. The studies revealed also temperature-dependent changes in the coiled-coil segment of KfrA proteins that is involved in the stabilization of dimers required for DNA interactions.ConclusionKfrAR751 and KfrARA3 are structural homologues. We postulate that KfrA type proteins have moonlighting activity. They not only act as transcriptional auto-regulators but form cytoskeletal structures, which might facilitate plasmid DNA delivery and positioning in the cells before cell division, involving thermal energy.

Structural changes in cell wall of Japanese radish accompanied by release of rhamnogalacturonan during pressure cooker heating

Changes in the cell wall of Japanese radish due to heating at 100 °C or 117 °C for 3 h were examined. Signals in 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning solid-state NMR (which detects rigid components) showed no differences between heating temperatures. 13C pulse saturation transfer magic angle spinning NMR (which detects flexible components) showed clear temperature-dependent changes in the rhamnose side chains of rhamnogalacturonan. Alcohol-insoluble solids isolated from raw samples were heated in water at 100 °C or 117 °C for 3 h. The concentrations of dissolved sugars and metal ions measured after heating in water at 117 °C were greater than in samples heated at 100 °C, indicating that loosening of cell wall structures increased with temperature, likely via degradation and elution of rhamnogalacturonan followed by β-elimination of homogalacturonan, and fewer interactions between cell wall components, including divalent metal ions. Vegetable shape was retained despite fewer interactions.

Thermal conductivity of an ultracold Fermi gas in the BCS-BEC crossover

Recent experiments on sound waves in a unitary Fermi gas reveal many transport properties about strongly interacting fermions. Sound propagates through the coupling of momentum and heat transport, and attenuates strongly with the presence of a phase transition. In this work, focusing on the temperature regimes near and below the superfluid critical temperature T_c in the BCS-BEC crossover, we present a Kubo-based microscopic calculation of thermal conductivity kappa, which has not attracted much attention compared to the shear viscosity. Our approach primarily addresses the contributions of the fermionic quasiparticles to thermal transport and our results return to the kinetic descriptions at high temperatures. kappa drops upon crossing the pseudogap temperature T^*, and its temperature dependence changes below T_c. The drops become more pronounced on the weakly coupled BCS side, where the Pauli blocking causes the upturn of kappa above T^*. Our calculations fit well with the sound measurement on the damping rate.

Thermal evolution of ferrite in electrodeposited iron‑carbon coatings in relation to phase transformations during post-deposition annealing

The environmentally friendly electrodeposition of iron‑carbon coatings with excellent mechanical properties is a promising alternative for the banned hazardous hard chrome coatings, but the internal structure of the electrodeposits is still a matter of debate. The analysis of the microstructure and phase constitution is challenging for the nanocrystalline coatings, which contain in addition to an essential amount of carbon also oxygen and hydrogen, and an unambiguous phase identification of as-deposited coatings has not yet been obtained. In the present work, the evolution of the crystallite size and the microstrain in ferrite is followed in real time by in-situ annealing studies with energy-dispersive synchrotron diffraction. Ferrite is of particular interest, because it remains the major phase in the coatings, while other phase transformations occur during annealing. The thermal stability of the internal structure of ferrite, obtained as an indirect measure from the in-situ diffraction analysis during isochronal annealing, was verified with ex-situ transmission electron microscopy for selected samples. The results not only reveal the thermal evolution of the coating, but the correlation of the detected temperature-dependent changes of ferrite with the transformation of other phases than ferrite further supports the understanding of the as-deposited nature of the iron‑carbon coatings.

Composition and temperature dependent structural investigation of the perovskite-type sodium-ion solid electrolyte series Na1/2−xLa1/2−xSr2xZrO3

Owing to their vast chemical and structural flexibility, crystalline perovskite-type metal oxides (ABO3) are amongst the most promising solid electrolytes for use in all-solid-state batteries for large scale energy storage applications. The perovskite-type sodium-ion solid electrolyte series Na1/2-xLa1/2-xSr2xZrO3 have the highest reported ionic conductivities, and we re-examine their room temperature crystal structures using X-ray and high-resolution neutron powder diffraction. In contrast to a previous report, four members of the series, x = 1/16, 1/8, 1/6, and 1/4, were found to adopt orthorhombic symmetry with the space group Pbnm. Variable temperature neutron diffraction data (room temperature to 1100 °C) were used to probe temperature-dependent structural changes for the member of the series with the highest reported ionic conductivity (x = 1/6). A phase transition from orthorhombic Pbnm to tetragonal I4/mcm was identified at 800 °C.

Ion association in hydrothermal aqueous NaCl solutions: implications for the microscopic structure of supercritical water.

Knowledge of the microscopic structure of fluids and changes thereof with pressure and temperature is important for the understanding of chemistry and geochemical processes. In this work we investigate the influence of sodium chloride on the hydrogen-bond network in aqueous solution up to supercritical conditions. A combination of in situ X-ray Raman scattering and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations is used to probe the oxygen K-edge of the alkali halide aqueous solution in order to obtain unique information about the oxygen's local coordination around the ions, e.g. solvation-shell structure and the influence of ion pairing. The measured spectra exhibit systematic temperature dependent changes, which are entirely reproduced by calculations on the basis of structural snapshots obtained via ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Analysis of the simulated trajectories allowed us to extract detailed structural information. This combined analysis reveals a net destabilizing effect of the dissolved ions which is reduced with rising temperature. The observed increased formation of contact ion pairs and occurrence of larger polyatomic clusters at higher temperatures can be identified as a driving force behind the increasing structural similarity between the salt solution and pure water at elevated temperatures and pressures with drawback on the role of hydrogen bonding in the hot fluid. We discuss our findings in view of recent results on hot NaOH and HCl aqueous fluids and emphasize the importance of ion pairing in the interpretation of the microscopic structure of water.