CONCERNING DETERMINATIONS OF DRIFT VELOCITY AND LATERAL DIFFUSION OF POSITIVE IONS IN HYDROGEN

In a number of investigations of the mobilities of hydrogen ions in hydrogen zero-field mobilities approximately equal to 12·6 cm2 v-1 s-1 have been recorded, and it seems to be currently accepted that these are inaccurate determinations for H3+ ions, the zero-field mobility of which is approximately equal to 11·1 cm2 v-1 s-1. The present paper suggests that the ions of mobility approximately equal to 12·6 cm2 v -1 s-1 are H3O+ ions and discusses the available evidence. Approximate values for the lateral diffusion of the H3O+ ions in hydrogen are reported, together with lower limits for the lateral diffusion of H+ ions. The implications of the identification of the ions of mobility approximately equal to 12·6 cm2 v-1 s-1 as H3O+ ions in studies of recombination in hydrogen are briefly considered. Data for the drift velocity and lateral diffusion of potassium ions in hydrogen are also reported for 2·0 × 10-17 < E/N < 300 × 10-17 v cm2 at room temperature.