Clouding of Pressed Potassium Bromide Powder

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Abstract
The monomolecular layer of water adsorbed on KBr particles is responsible for clouding of disks pressed from finely ground powder. Cloudiness is caused by formation of a multitude of cracks in the disk. The initial cracking can be observed with a low power optical microscope and the extensive cracking in the fully cloudy region is observable with a scanning electron microscope. It is suggested that adsorbed water promotes recrystallization, generating weak zones in the workhardened, elastically stressed disk which fails by cracking.