Estimation of Ionic Contribution to the Value
of the Surface Potential of Organic Solvents

V. I. Parfenyuk and T. I. Chankina

Institute of the Chemistry of Nonaqueous Solutions, Russian Academy of Sciences,
ul. Akademicheskaya 1, Ivanovo, 153000 Russia

Received December 13, 1995

Abstract—The voltaic potential difference technique is used for calculating the difference of surface potentials
across the interface between the liquid and the gas phase. The contribution of anions to this value is estimated
for water and organic solvents. It is revealed that the contribution of anions to the value of the surface potential
difference at the liquid–gas interface, arising from the presence of the ionic double layer, has a constant value
and is independent of the nature of the solvent. The opposite sign of this value for water compared to nonaque-
ous solvents can be attributed to the different orientation of molecules at the liquid–gas interface. It is shown
that the presence of anions in solution shifts the surface potential for organic solvents to a negative value and
for water, to a positive value.

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.