Relationship between the activation energy of ion migration and the heat of transport in some ionic conductors

The heat of transport determined from the thermopower measurement provides important information to know the ion transport processes occurring in solid electrolytes. Recently, we have proposed a theoretical model for the heat of transport in ionic conductors. According to the model, the relationship between the heat of transport and the activation energy of ion conduction is determined by the participation degree of different phonon modes. In the present study, some behavior expected from the model is compared with experimental observations. It is shown that the predictions of the model are consistent with the experimental data.

Research highlights
► A theoretical model for the heat of transport in ionic conductors is proposed.
► The role of phonon modes in ion conduction is discussed.
► Model predictions are consistent with experimental observations.