5.2 Charge Transport in Electrolytes

The electrical transport mechanisms in ionic solutions differ from that in metals/semiconductors: instead of electrons the current is sustained by ions. Additionally the ionic charge carriers are chemically active and able to contribute to chemical reactions at surfaces. Therefore, in the description of ionic conduction it is not sufficient to treat electrostatic effects solely, and chemical reactions must be included. Normally, conduction in electrolytes is caused by an externally applied bias at the electrodes/interfaces from an electronic circuit.