Electrical Phenomena Occurring during the Freezing of Dilute Aqueous Solutions and Their Possible Relationship to Thunderstorm Electricity

The discovery of an electrical effect accompanying the orderly freezing of dilute aqueous solutions is reported. Potential differences as great as 230 volts are measured across the water-ice interface during the the freezing process. At a freezing rate of about 1 cc per min., a current of 1 μamp. is measured. The character of the effect is a function of the nature and concentration of the solute. The dependence of the effect on the structure of the ions of the solute and the molecular structure of water is shown. Possible application of this effect to chemical detection and to the formation of thunderstorm electricity is discussed.