The chemical effects of pressure: Part 5. - The electrical conductivity of water at high shock pressures

Abstract

It is found that water becomes highly ionized when it is compressed by intense shock waves. A number of measurements at shock pressures between 33,000 atm and 127,000 atm have shown that the specific conductance rises steadily, reaching about 1 Ω-1 cm-1 at the highest pressure. It is concluded that most of the change is due to an increase in the ionic product of water, possibly by a factor as great as 1012 at 127,000 atm. The experimental method is described in some detail.