A time domain reflectometer for dielectric relaxation spectroscopy of electrolyte solutions

A time domain reflectometer for dielectric relaxation spectroscopy of electrolyte solutions in the temperature range of -45 less than or equal to theta/degrees C less than or equal to 90 is presented. With a set of cutoff cells differing in their cell constants, pure solvents covering the permittivity range of 7 less than or equal to epsilon less than or equal to 228 and their concentrated electrolyte solutions (kappa>1 Omega(-1) m(-1)) can be investigated at frequencies of 0.05 less than or equal to v/GHz less than or equal to 9. In combination with the transmission line system of our laboratory (8.5 less than or equal to v/GHz less than or equal to 89) dielectric dispersion, epsilon'(v), and total loss, eta ''(v) = epsilon ''(v)+kappa/(2 pi v epsilon(0)) can be determined with 2% accuracy relative to epsilon.