What is it about?

When we add a bit of metal to a liquid while keeping the system electronically insulating, some intriguing things happen. We have explored the dynamics of these dissolved electrons in molten salts, discovering that they are not closely tied to how ions diffuse, despite their interactions.

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Why is it important?

We provide new insights into the localization and transport properties of dissolved electrons, demonstrating that electrons can flow even in peculiar cases of nonmetallic materials. These findings align with topological arguments rooted in Thouless' theorem.

Perspectives

People usually think that electrons can flow only in metals. In this work, we show that they can actually move around freely also when they are dissolved in insulating liquids.

Paolo Pegolo
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati

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This page is a summary of: Self-interaction and transport of solvated electrons in molten salts, The Journal of Chemical Physics, September 2023, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0169474.
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