ELECTRICAL CONDIUCTIVITY AND SUPERIONIC TRANSITIONS IN PURE SILVER AND LITHIUM SULPHATES

Abstract

Pure samples of polycrystalline silver and lithium sulphates (AgSO4 and LiSO4. H2O) were heated to a temperature of about 600oC from 27oC. The transition temperature for superionic conduction was determined together with the activation energies for the conduction as 290oC, 0.35 eV and 260oC and 0.57 eV, respectively for Li and Ag ions. Similarly, the character of the changes in resistance has been described. The silver and lithium sulphate samples were subjected to several heating runs and the same parameters were determined. Superionic conduction was observed in the silver sulphate sample but not in the lithium sulphate. It was observed that thermal cycles reduced the resistance.