Solubilities of zinc oxide and cadmium oxide in KCl-LiCl eutectic melts

ZnO solubility (pP = 4.77 ± 0.1) and CdO solubility (pP = 1.46 ± 0.1) in KCl-LiCl melts at 700°C are determined using the sequential additions method with the potentiometric control of the equilibrium oxide ion concentration. Cadmium oxide is a strong base; it fully dissociates in unsaturated solutions. Zinc oxide is a weak base (pK _ZnO = 2.89 ± 0.15). As the acidic properties of an ionic solvent strengthen with a fixed anionic composition, the solubilities of the oxides increase in correlation with their basicity index; the surface energy at the interface between the solid oxide and ionic melt decreases in association.