Some anomalous optical properties of freshly-prepared mixed crystals of the Seignette salts

Abstract

The new crystalline compound triphenyl-bismuthine dichloride, described crystallographically by Mr. G. Greenwood (Min. Mag., 1923, vol. 20, p. 123), possesses the remarkable property of exhibiting crossed axial-plane dispersion of the rhombic ‘brookite’ type and circular polarization. For purposes of comparison, the author prepared specimens of the mixed Seiguette salts, which also exhibit crossed axial-plane dispersion together with circular polarization. The Seignette salts, sodium-potassium tartrate and sodium-ammonium tartrato, crystallize each with four molecules of water ill the bisphenoidal class of the rhombic system. They are truly isomorphous and form a continuous series of mixtures. The acute bisectrix for sodium-ammonium tartrate is normal to (001)and for sodium-potassium tartrate normal to (100). For all proportions of mixture containing 5 % and over of sodium-ammonium tartrate, the acute bisectrix is normal to (001).