Electric Conductivity and Electrode Polarization as Markers of Phase Transitions

Abstract

Dielectric polarization and electric polarization of electrodes are the common features of polar materials. We described methods to analyze their contributions and showed that both dependencies on temperature of dielectric conductivity and electrode polarization and the exponents characterizing these dependencies are excellent markers of phase transitions. Proposed methods were applied to several compounds, such as liquid crystals, pharmacological compounds, monoalcohols, polyalcohols, and various thermodynamic phases. Common behavior was noted for materials under study. In similar phases, various substances have the same values of the exponents characterizing electric conductivity and contribution from the electrode polarization. These exponents show discontinuities at phase transition temperatures between crystal-like and liquid-like phases.

Keywords

• electric conductivity
• electrode polarization
• dielectric response
• phase transition