The research, in the general area of Analytical and Surface Chemistry, focuses on molten salt chemistry. The work promises to lead to the discovery of new clusters (collections of metal atoms or metal and chlorine atoms) and new chemistry for known clusters, as well as a greater insight into the nature and strength of solute ion-solvent ion interactions in molten salts. Tantalum, tungsten and molybdenum chlorine clusters containing up to six metal atoms will be examined building on the results of previous work together with new studies on homopolyatomic metal clusters. Studies will be conducted in both acidic (molten salts with an excess of aluminum chloride) and basic (molten salts with an excess of an organic salt) media. Basic media will be used for the metal-chlorine clusters and acidic media will be used for studies of cationic clusters of cadmium, mercury and bismuth with as many as nine metal atoms. The studies will be extended to other types of metal atom clusters in acidic media. These molten salt studies will include studies of the electrochemical behavior of these clusters.
