Ionization of Liquids by Radiation. III. Field Dependence of the Conductivity

Abstract

The conductivity of hexane under 1500‐kV x rays was studied at fields up to 40 kV/cm. Conditions were attained under which the theoretical proportionality to dose rate and to plate separation was strictly obeyed. Data are also reported for diethyl ether and 1,4‐dioxane, and for hexane irradiated by 2.4‐keV electrons from ³⁷Ar. Onsager's formula for probability of escape of a single ion pair describes the behavior of the conductivity of low‐dielectric‐constant liquids under high‐energy x rays, but fails when applied to the results from 2.4‐keV electrons, where an appreciable probability exists of escape of more than one ion pair from a group.