Bromine chloride clathrate gas hydrate

Abstract

Bromine chloride hydrate, prepared free of excess halogen, has been analyzed directly to give the formula BrCl•7.77 ± 1.58 H2O. The halogen is found to be bromine-rich in the hydrate and bromine-deficient in the aqueous solution at 5 °C. Aqueous solutions in equilibrium with the hydrate between 1 and 15 °C have been analyzed and yield the bromine chloride hydrate enthalpy of fusion 10 450 ± 860 cal/mole which leads to the formula BrCl•7.28 ± 0.60 H2O. It is concluded that bromine chloride forms a normal clathrate-type gas hydrate of formula BrCl•7.34 H2O, and that the frequently quoted formula BrCl•4 H2O is wrong.