QCL has made some of its extensive knowledge available on its website, where there are pages covering the basic principles and chemistry of conductivity, as well as pH and dissolved oxygen theory
Electrical conductivity is an inherent property of most materials, and ranges from extremely conductive materials like metals to very non-conductive materials like plastics or glass.
About halfway between the two extremes in conductivity are aqueous solutions, such as sea water and plating baths.
In metals, the electrical current is carried by electrons, while in water it is carried by charged ions.
In both cases, the conductivity is determined by the number of charge carriers, how fast they move, and how much charge each one carries.
Thus, for most water solutions, the higher the concentration of dissolved salts, which will lead to more ions, the higher the conductivity.
This effect continues until the solution gets too 'crowded', restricting the freedom of the ions to move, and the conductivity may actually decrease with increasing concentration.
This can result in two different concentrations of a salt having the same conductivity.
To obtain accurate and reproducible conductivity results it helps to know a little about the chemistry involved.
QCL Scientific has been an Orion distributor for over 25 years.
QCL understand the importance of conductivity measurement and has considerable expertise within the company.
It also offers free consultation, and its product managers are happy to discuss your application and answer any query you may have.
