Solubility of chloride in molten magnesium metal

The solubilities of chloride (Cl) in liquid magnesium (Mg) have been determined from the analysis of quenched samples of liquid Mg equilibrated with NaCl-MgCl₂ melts of different compositions at temperatures in the range 650–790 °C. As an example, the solubility of Cl in liquid Mg in contact with pure MgCl₂ at 735 °C was found to be approximately 18 ppm. The Cl solubility was found to be proportional to the square root of the MgCl₂ activity in the NaCl-MgCl₂ melt, indicating that MgCl₂ dissolved according to the reaction 0.5MgCl₂ + 0.5Mg(l) = MgCl (in Mg). The temperature dependency of the solubility also was measured. Thermodynamic values related to the dissolution of MgCl₂ in liquid Mg have been estimated.