Nonequilibrium mechanisms of weak electrolyte electrification under the action of constant voltage

Abstract

The formation of space charge in weak electrolytes, specifically in liquid dielectrics, has been considered. An analytical solution is given to a simplified set of Nernst–Planck equations that describe the formation of nonequilibrium recombination layers in weak electrolytes. This approximate analytical solution is compared with computer simulation data for a complete set of Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations. It has been shown that the current passage in weak electrolytes can be described by a single dimensionless parameter that equals the length of a near-electrode recombination layer divided by the width of the interelectrode gap. The formation mechanism and the structure of charged nonequilibrium near-electrode layers in the nonstationary regime have been analyzed for different injection-to-conduction current ratios. It has been found that almost all charge structures encountered in weak dielectrics can be accounted for by the nonequilibrium dissociation–recombination mechanism of space charge formation.