Fundamental Limitations on the Low-Temperature Operation of Electrolytic Devices

A new approach to the understanding of transport behavior in concentrated electrolyte solutions requires the recognition at low temperatures of a liquid state limiting temperature which is a thermodynamic constant of any solvent-electrolyte solution. The value of this constant, which determines service limits, is a function of electrolyte concentration except at low concentrations where solvent structure may dominate. In this paper the results of workers investigating electrolyte solutions for low-temperature battery applications are used to emphasize the usefulness of the concepts underlying this approach to low-temperature electrolyte problems.