On the identification of hyperhydrated sodium chloride hydrates, stable at icy moon conditions.

ABSTRACT: Sodium chloride is expected to be found on many of the surfaces of icy moons like Europa and Ganymede. However, spectral identification remains elusive as the known NaCl-bearing phases cannot match current observations, which require higher number of water of hydration. Working at relevant conditions for icy worlds, we report the characterization of three "hyperhydrated" sodium chloride (SC) hydrates, and refined two crystal structures [2NaCl·17H₂O (SC8.5); NaCl·13H₂O (SC13)]. We found that the dissociation of Na⁺ and Cl^- ions within these crystal lattices allows for the high incorporation of water molecules and thus explain their hyperhydration. This finding suggests that a great diversity of hyperhydrated crystalline phases of common salts migh

SUBMITTER: Journaux B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9992769 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature