PROTONIC CONDUCTION IN THE WATER I REGION,
Abstract
The activation energies, Ea, of electrical conduction for aqueous HCl solutions of various concentrations have been determined from precision cnductivity measurements over the temperature range -1 to -10 C. In contrast to normal ionic conduction in aqueous solution which exhibits a pronounced maximum in Ea near the temperature of maximum density, Ea for protonic conduction remains fairly constant. Protonic conduction is composed of two components: normal ionic conduction whose ratedetermining step is hole-formation in the solvent water and which presumably can occur in both the free and clustered water and Grotthuss conduction whose rate-determining step is the rotation of water molecules and which is confined to the 'free,' rotatable water monomers between the clusters. Ordinarily the latter process dominates, but below about 2 C the influence of the former becomes appreciable. There also appears to be a tendency of Ea for HCl, as in the case of salts, to decrease with increasing HCl concentration. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0448489
Entities
People
- R. A. Courant
- R. A. Hörne
Organizations
- Arthur D. Little