Nonelectronic Electrical Transport in Liquid CsAu

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents new experimental data on the electrical conductivity σ and the absolute thermoelectric power S of liquid CsAu alloys in the concentration range 0 to 60 at % Au and at temperatures up to 720°C. It is found that near the composition CsAu the σ‐curve and the S‐curve have deep minima with values of about 3 Ohm −1 cm −1 and ‐1400 μV/K, respectively which are of the same order of magnitude as those of the molten salts. It is found that existing theories about “liquid semiconductors” cannot account for the observed metal‐nonmetal transition in liquid CsAu. Therefore as an alternative hypothesis it is proposed that in CsAu near the equi‐atomic concentration ionic conduction plays an important role.