Structure of subcritical and supercritical hydrogen-bonded liquids and solutions

The structures of subcritical and supercritical water, methanol, and aqueous lithium chloride solutions have been determined on an atomic scale by rapid solution X-ray diffraction with a two-dimensional imaging plate detector and neutron diffraction with isotopic substition techniques. The breakthroughs made in the last decade in structure determination of liquids and solutions are briefly described. The hydrogen bonding, ionic hydration, and ion association in the subcritical and supercritical liquids and solutions are discussed in connection with the physico-chemical properties and chemical reactions in supercritical fluids. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.