On the chemical interaction of ions and the "clean up" of gases at glass surfaces under the influence of the electrical discharge

Abstract

The passage of sodium through glass under the influence of an electrical discharge is well known. With neon lamps the action is reversible. These lamps are filled with neon (containing a little helium and hydrogen) at about 10 mms. pressure, and the electrodes are of pure iron. The spectrum is that of neon, helium, and the Balmer series of hydrogen. Carbon monoxide bands are usually not present. Such a lamp was immersed in a bath of molten sodium nitrate which was used as negative electrode, and a potential of about 300 volts was maintained between the tube electrodes AB (see fig. 1) and the nitrate. The inside glass wall became covered with negative glow, a current of many milliamperes flowed initially through the glass, but fell off in an almost exponential manner with time to a constant smaller value (see Tables I and II). Rotation of the negative glow around the glass surface, and fatigue effects were strongly in evidence.