A electrolyte is a conducting medium ionic.

History

It is the electrolytic phenomenon of dissociation, whose theory was formulated by Svante August Arrhenius in 1887 then improved by Peter Debye and Erich Hückel, which explains electrolytic conductibility. This theory was supplemented by Gilbert Newton Lewis. The dissolved substance is broken up into two groupings simple or complex of opposite electric charge called Ion S. At the time of the passage of the current, there is migration of ion towards the electrode S; the positive ion moves towards the Cathode, from where its name of Cation (hydrogen ion, metal ions, etc) and the negative ion or Anion towards the Anode.

Traditionally, one distinguishes the strong electrolytes, which are dissociated completely in diluted solution (bases and strong acids and their salts), and the weak electrolytes, which only are partially dissociated (majority of the organic acids).

Composition

An electrolyte is obtained by dissolution or fusion of a salt, a Acide or a bases. It consists of a polar Solvant (water or organic solvent) and of a Soluté (salt, acid, bases). The polar solvent, by phenomenon of Solvation of the ions by one or more molecules of this solvent, ensures at the same time the dissolution of the aqueous solution and its ionic dissociation in negatively charged Anion S and in positively charged Cation S. The electrolytic solution being electrically neutral, the positive loads and the negative charges balance. Dissociation in ions of a salt, a base, or an acid in solution is ensured by the energy of solvation of the ions by polar solvent.

Natural electrolytes

Certain electrolytes are naturally present in the blood network. One then speaks about blood electrolyte.

The most known electrolytes

• solutions of Acid sulphuric of the batteries to the Lead;
• solutions of Potash 5 with 8M of the alkaline batteries of types Ni-Cd or Nor-MH;
• solutions of LiPF₆ in organic mixtures of solvents of types “carbonates” of the batteries Lithium-ion;
• sulfate solutions of Copper, or Zinc or Nickel in sulphuric acid medium used for the electrolytic coatings with reactive anodes;
• the salts melted containing Alumina and of Cryolite for the electrosynthesis of the Aluminum. (See the detailed article electrolytic Reduction of aluminum.)

Principle

The electric transfers of charges within the electrolyte are ensured by the Cation S and the Anion S which move in opposite directions. The anions circulate in opposite direction of the conventional direction of the running, the cations in the direction of this current. The relative share of the loads transported by one or the others is quantified by the numbers of transport so that the sum of the numbers of transport is equal to one.

The closer one number of transport is to one and the more important the share of transfer of load of the ion concerned will be.

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