What Is Ionic Conduction?

Ions and Electrolytes

• An ion is a particle that is part of an atom or a chemically bonded group of atoms. An electrically charged particle that has been removed from one of these atoms by adding or subtracting electrons is called an ion. An positively charged ion is called a cation. An ion with a negative charge is called an anion. An electrolyte is what carries the electric current after it has been separated into ions.

Ionic Conduction in Solids

• Highly conductive solids are important from an industrial point of view. Solids that have a high level of ionic conduction occur in the natural world but science is also able to create equally effective artificial substances in a lab. Some of the advantages of solid conductors include longer life, efficient energy storage and, since there is no possibility of a leak, better safety.

Ionic Conduction in Liquids

• As technology gets smaller and lighter the demand is growing for more advances in liquids that have high ionic conduction rates. Futuristic applications like liquid batteries, fuel cell membranes and electrchromic displays all require liquids with high ionic conduction. Advantages of liquid conductors include that they are nonflammable, stay at a stable temperature and have a wider range.

Superionic Conduction

• A solid substance that is classified as a superionic conductor is not necessarily highly conductive. It has a high ionic conductivity but is an unreliable electrical conductor. Superionic conductors are also referred to as fast ion conductors or solid electrolytes. Ions and electrons move around each other to create electronic conductivity, and in superionic solids the values of these movements are very high but still lower than many other solid electronic conductors such as certain metals.