Ion transport anomalies in glasses

Abstract

A model for ion transport in glass is presented which is based on the experimental evidence that cations in glass create and maintain their own characteristic environments. By postulating the existence of a site memory effect, we are able to visualize the formation of conducting pathways. We develop a quantitative theory which explains the general occurrence of the mixed cation (alkali) effect in glassy material and, in addition, shows that the anomalous dependence of conductivity on the modifier content in single alkali glasses follows a simple power-law relation.