Electrical Conductivity of Solid and Molten Lithium Sulfate

Abstract

The electrical conductivity of lithium sulfate has been measured over the temperature range 575—970°C. It is found that ARRHENIUS equations fit the experimental data slightly less well than empirical relations, such asϰ= (-3.297+6.894 · 10-3 t +0.527 · 10-6t2) Ω-1 cm-1 for cubic Li2SO4 and ϰ= (-13.639+35.204 · 10-3 t-17.251 · 10-6t2) Ω-1 cm-1 for molten Li2SO4(t in degr. C).Due to the similarity in transport properties between cubic Li2SO4 and molten salts, comparisons with ionic melts are made in the discussion of our results. The ratio between the conductivity and the cation self-diffusion coefficient is less than required by the NERNST-EINSTEIN relation, which indicates that rotation or ring mechanisms are of importance for diffusion in cubic Li2SO4.