MEASUREMENT OF MEMBRANE CONDUCTIVITIES USING AN OPEN-ENDED COAXIAL PROBE

In this article, we describe the use of an open-ended coaxial probe to measure the conductivity of an ionic membrane. The technique is simple and it allows measurements to be made quickly. Control of physical parameters, such as the water content of the membrane, is easily achieved as access is only required to one side of the membrane. The technique also has the advantage that very small probes can be constructed allowing the measurement of the conductivity of local areas of the membrane.