GROUP I METAL NITRATES

Abstract

All group I metal nitrates except lithium nitrate have at least one solid phase in which nitrate ion disorder is present. We will report that the onset of anion disorder is accompanied by the appearance of anisotropy scattering of the type associated with liquids. The appearance of anisotropy seattering is usually accompanied by broadening of certain internal modes and loss of discrimination of external modes. The form of the spectra in the disordered solid phases is often almost identical with the spectra of the corresponding melt. The scattering mechanism responsible for the anisotropy wing and the basis for the similarity of crystal and liquid spectra will be discussed.