Local structures and the dissolving behavior of aqueous ammonia and its KCl and NH₄Cl solutions: A Raman spectroscopy and X-ray scattering study.

The aqueous ammonia (5%-15%) and its KCl and NH4Cl solutions have been studied by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray scattering. The microscopic structures in these solutions were proposed. The addition of KCl reinforced the hydrogen bond between NH3 and H2O. On contrary, NH4Cl destroyed this interaction by forming hydrogen bond NH4(+)-NH3. This study gave an interpretation of the different dissolving behavior of KCl and NH4Cl in aqueous ammonia, which may have important implications in the separation of potassium and ammonium salt during the industrial production.