Theory of the Thermal Diffusion of Electrolytes in a Clusius Column

Abstract

A theory is presented which accounts approximately for the apparently anomalous difference between the thermal diffusion coefficients of an ion in the presence and in the absence of other electrolytes; the theory is based on the existence of an electric field parallel to the thermal gradient in the electrolyte as a consequence of the variation in mobility among the various ions present. It is pointed out also that some data on the behavior of electrolytes in a Clusius column are at variance with the Debye exponential law concerning the steady-state distribution of solute.