KINETIC PROCESSES IN THE LIQUID-PHASE STUDIED BY HIGH-FREQUENCY PERMITTIVITY MEASUREMENTS

The application of dielectric relaxation studies to the kinetic processes of ion-pair formation, cooperative molecular processes and H-bonding dynamics in the liquid phase is discussed. For electrolyte solutions an equation is derived which links the experimental relaxation time of the solute, tau(IP), With the rate constants of ion-pair formation and decomposition; results are presented and the limitation of the kinetic approach to ion-pair formation discussed. Kinetic approaches for an interpretation of the slow cooperative relaxation process of hydrogen bonding liquids are reviewed. The relaxation time of the high-frequency dispersion step in H-bonding liquids, tau(H) = 1 - 2 ps, does not yield primary information on the kinetics of hydrogen-bond formation.