Ion Transport in Liquid Salt Solutions with Oxide Dispersions: "Soggy Sand" Electrolytes

"Soggy sand" electrolyte, which essentially consists of oxide dispersions in nonaqueous liquid salt solutions, comprises an important class of soft matter electrolytes. The ion transport mechanism of soggy sand electrolyte is complex. The configuration of particles in the liquid solution has been observed to depend in a nontrivial manner on various parameters related to the oxide (concentration, size, surface chemistry) and solvent (dielectric constant, viscosity) as well as time. The state of the particles in solution not only affects ionic conductivity but also effectively the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the solid-liquid composite. Apart from comprehensive understanding of the underlying phenomena that govern ion transport, which will benefit design of better electrolytes, the problem has far-reaching implications in diverse fields such as catalysis, colloid chemistry, and biotechnology.