An investigation of the mechanism of electrical conduction occurring in shock waves in water

An increase in electrical conductivity in many liquid nonconductors is observed when they are subjected to high intensity shocks generated by high explosives. The conductivity of water is observed to increase by a factor of 106 while the conductivity of carbon tetrachloride increases by a factor of 1018 in the highest intensity shocks of this type available. (In this study a cyclotol donor was utilized which generated shock pressures in 'Water as high as 150 kilobars.) The electrical conduction in these shocked liquids may be due to ions, electrons, or both. In this thesis quantitative relationships Between shock pressure and conductivity are given and arguments presented to show that the mechanism of conduction may be primarily electronic. This is based on the observed temperature coefficient of conductivity at constant pressure and corresponding computed activation energies for conduction. The experimental data indicate that the conductivity in the shock waves in water may be treated satisfactorily at low shock pressures by means at a semiconductor mechanism. At high shock pressures (approximately 100 kilobars) it appears as though water approaches the metallic state in that the activation energy for electrical conduction in the shock waves at this and higher shock pressures appears to d1sappear,?and the resistance appears to approach zero.