Ion transport in metasilicate based new gel system: x Na2SiO3 + (100-x) NH4BF4

Abstract

A new gel system xNa2SiO3 + (100-x)NH4BF4 has been prepared. The gel could form only in the limited compositional range x = 15-50 mol %. Gelling has been shown to result in the formation of a new structural compound and the dried gel was stable up to ∼ 400°C. Structural and Ion transport studies have been carried out on the prepared gel system. The highest bulk electrical conductivity has been found to be ∼2.45 × 10-6 S cm-1 for x = 45 mol% at 27°C and RH = 49 %. The total ionic transference number of the gel has been measured by polarization method and found to be ∼ 1.