Microhardness of crystals of KBr-KI solid solutions with Sr2+ and OH− impurities

The microhardness, conductivity, and dielectric-loss angle have been studied in KBr and KI single crystals and in their solid solutions with Sr²⁺ and OH^– impurities. It is shown that the Sr²⁺ impurity dissolves only slightly in KI crystals and in KBr-KI solid solutions having a large KI content. Addition of the anionic OH^– impurity to the molten salts reduces the micro-hardness of KBr but it does not affect that of KI crystals or KBr-KI solid solutions having a large KI content. The composition dependence of the microhardness for KBr-KI solid solutions is constructed on the basis of the microhardness values for the corresponding crystals purified of cationic impurities of different valence.Translated from Izvestiya VUZ. Fizika, No. 10, pp. 18–21, October, 1969.