The effect of the moisture content in benzoic acid on the electrical conductivity of its melts

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to analyse the effect of the moisture content in benzoic acid on the electrical conductivity of its melts. The measurements were performed using impedance spectroscopy in a hermetically sealed metal cell with the temperature of the melts being 160–200 °С. Samples of benzoic acid with different moisture content were used: (i) as-received benzoic acid; (ii) acid dried over anhydrous calcium chloride; (iii) acid exposed to air at 100 % relative humidity. The study demonstrated that electrical conductivity increased with an increase in the amount of moisture in the acid (the conductivity of the sample with the highest moisture content was about 2.5 times higher than that of the driest sample). The results obtained are of importance for understanding the mechanisms of proton exchange processes on lithium niobate crystals and can be used for the production of proton-exchange waveguides with stable characteristics

Keywords

• electrical conductivity
• benzoic acid
• melt
• moisture
• proton exchange