The reactions of some compounds of zinc,cadmium and mercury with the molten lithium carbonate-sodium carbonate-potassium carbonate eutectic

The reactions of ZnCl₂, CdCl₂, CdCO₃, CdSO₄, Hg₂Cl₂, Hg₂SO₄, HgCl₂ and HgSO₄ with the molten alkali metal carbonate eutectic were investigated by thermogravimetry. Reaction products were analysed by various techniques.Zinc and cadmium compounds were found to react with the eutectic showing one weight-loss step in their thermograms for the evolution of carbon dioxide and produced corresponding metal oxides. Mercury compounds, on the other hand, reacted with the eutectic exhibiting two or three weight-loss steps due to the formation of stable intermediates consisting of various basic mercury carbonates which ultimately decomposed to give a mixture of metallic mercury, oxygen and carbon dioxide. The temperature ranges of the reactions and their Stoichiometries have been established.