Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Energy Solutions Using Nanocomposites as Processed Thermoelectric Materials
Published on: May 17, 2024
Thermodynamic or density scaling of the electrical conductivity of molten salts
1School of Science, The University of New South Wales, P.O. Box 7916, Canberra BC, ACT 2610, Australia.
Abstract:
Thermodynamic or density scaling of high-pressure conductivities and molar conductivities of the high-temperature molten salts NaOH, and the alkali chlorides, bromides, and nitrates, from Na to Cs, taken from the literature, is found to be consistent with the simulations of Knudsen, Niss, and Bailey (KNB). They used a simple model fluid of point particles interacting through an interionic potential with a repulsive inverse power law part varying as r-9 and an attractive Coulombic part. This yields values between the limits 0.33-3 for the scaling parameter, γ. The Coulombic potential reduces the scaling parameter to values much lower than are normally found for molecular liquids, and KNB used this to explain the low values typically found for ionic liquids. Here, it is shown that the high-temperature molten salts examined behave similarly.
Related Concept Videos
Theory of Metallic Conduction
In this theory, Newton's second law of motion is used to determine the acceleration of an electron in the presence of an applied electric field. Then, its velocity is expressed via this acceleration.
An electron moves through the crystal, containing positive ions,...
Electrical Conductivity
In a practical conductor, an applied electric field may be sustained, causing a flow of electrons, which produce a current. The differential form of the current, the current density, is related to the electric field.
More generally, it is related to the force per unit charge, which involves the...
Resistivity
Thermodynamics: Activity Coefficient
The activity coefficient is a measure of the deviation from ideal behavior. When the ionic strength of the solution is minimal, the activity coefficient of an ionic species is close to unity, making...
Electrolytes: van't Hoff Factor
The colligative properties of a solution depend only on the number, not on the identity, of solute species dissolved. The concentration terms in the equations for various colligative properties (freezing point depression, boiling point elevation, osmotic pressure) pertain to all solute species present in the solution. Nonelectrolytes dissolve physically without dissociation or any other accompanying process. Each molecule that dissolves yields one...
Thermal expansion and Thermal stress: Problem Solving
To solve the problem, first, identify the known and unknown quantities. The initial length (L) of the bridge is 1275 m, the coefficient of linear expansion (α) for steel is 12 x 10-6/°C, and the change in...

