- Email: [email protected]
Electrochemistry of molten and solid electrolytes
BOOK REVIEWS
322 EZeclro-nics
fc7 Ex~ehmnhws.
(ia Chemistry, ~hp&sand &o&w), by LEON PHILLIPS, J. Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, London, Sydney, zg66, xii + pages; cloth edition 45s. paperback edition 30s.
F.
266
There are perhaps two ways for the student coming to research to acquire a working lmowledge of electronics. The first is to obtain a useful understanding of what goes on inside the black boxes. The second is the more analytical approach, ultimately the more useful, which takes the student further and enables him to design and modify circuitry. EZectmnics for Ex.pevime~teVs is written in the second vein and is an excellent book for physicists a_nd chemists. Biologists, having less background ti physics and mathematics. may find other introductory books less formidable. The book begins with an introduction to simple network theory and a description of the conventional vacuum tube. Then having described the transistor and other selected solid-state devices, it gives a comparative account of transistor and vacuum-tube circuits. This is a most useful treatment and places the correct emphasis on solid-state devices, especially the transistor, which are still under-used in many laboratories. Besides the usual topics of amplification, detection, oscillation and switching, +he experimenter will find the two chapters on feedback and on bandwidth and noise particularly interesting. Finally, the design, construction and troubleshooting of some typical working circuits are described. Each chapter is concluded with some exercises and a few well-chosen references giving good weight to industrial technical manuals. The exercises are a fair test of the student’s comprehension of the subject matter, but the value of the numerical questions would have been enhanced by the inclusion of an answer set. Dr. PHILLIPS gives a refreshingly analytical approach to electronics which
should be appreciated by many eup&mentaLists. The circuit illustrations and general presentation of his book are first-class. It is to be recommended as a textbook not only for postgraduate courses, but also for the time-honoured method of learning electronics - self-instruction. A. P. Cox, School of Chemistry, J. EZectroanaZ. Chern., 15 (1967)
University
of Bristol
322
EZectracMtistr_v of MoZ&n and .SoZti EZeztroZytes, Vol. 3, edited by A. N. BARABOSHIUX, English translation, Consultants Bureau, New York, x966, pages viii+ 133, SI7.50* This book consists of twenty original contributions from the Institute of Electrochemistry of the Urals Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R.; it is in fact the Transactions (Trudy) No. 6 of the Institute. Among the important topics discussed are, electrode polarisation in solid electrolytes, the corrosion of
metals by molten chlorides and carbonates, the dependence of the structure of cathode deposits on the conditions of electrolysis, and the electrode reactions of hydrogen, oxygen and the carbonate anion in molten carbonates. The physicochemical properties of some solid o>ride systems have also been investigated. J_ EZecZmmaZ.Chm., 15 (Kg67) 322-323
BOOKRJZVLEWS
323
The subjects of the articles reflect the interest in such important technological topics as electrometallurgy and fuel cells in the U.S.S.R_ at the present time. The emphasis that the Russia_ns place on both pure and applied electrochemistry is
evidenced English
by the fact
translations
that
provide
all these papers a fascinating
come from the same institute.
a.nd up-to-date
insight
into
the
These Russian
literature
and current thought; the conclusions are clearly stated. A cursory examination indicates that the quality of the articles is not uniform ; no doubt the appropriate specialists would find many points to challenge in the individual papers. There is enough common subject matter to make the purchase of this volume by workers in the solid oxide and molten salt fields, worthwlnle. The book, which is soft-covered, is generally well-produced. D. INMXN, Imperial J_ EZecfroanaZ_
Chem.,
College, London 15 (19671
~ZZ-323
Inkractions ip~ElectrolyteSohtions, by G. H. NANCOLLAS, Elsevier PulSishing Company, Amsterdam,
x966,
x + 214
pages,
Dfl.
40.--_
For the purposes of this book, “interactions in electrolyte solutions” means mainly interactions in aqueous electrolyte solutions. In particular, the author has been concerned to produce a $xtantial account of the follcation of mononuclear
complexes
and of their properties.
The book begins with a brief description
of water
structure and dielectric theory-perhaps too brief to be useful. The second chapter gives a valuable description of the experimental methods that may be used to determine association constants and of the pitfalls facing the unwary. Chapter 3 describes the treatment of the data required to give association constants and the ways of bringing in activity coefficients. One wishes that more emphasis had been placed on the application of computer methods here, particularly as in practice it is often necessary to allow for formation of polynuclear complexes. The remainder of the book is concerned with the interpretation of association constants and their related heats and entropies. The appendix contains a useful compilation of experimental data. If a central point emerges from the book it is that although such thermodynamic measurements are essential preliminaries to understanding the properties of ion-pairs, they are indeed only preliminaries. It is clear that whilst we have by no means exhausted our need for more and accurate thermodynamic data, the most crucial experiments we must do relate to structural effects. This book is clearly written and well printed and will be of some considerable value both to the graduate student working in the specific area and to more experienced workers. The price, however, is sufficiently high to ensure that the book will mainly be purchased by libraries. S. B. BRUMMER,Tyco Laboratories Inc., Waltham, J_ E&.drounoZ-
Chm-,
Mass.
13 (x967)
323
322 EZeclro-nics
fc7 Ex~ehmnhws.
(ia Chemistry, ~hp&sand &o&w), by LEON PHILLIPS, J. Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, London, Sydney, zg66, xii + pages; cloth edition 45s. paperback edition 30s.
F.
266
There are perhaps two ways for the student coming to research to acquire a working lmowledge of electronics. The first is to obtain a useful understanding of what goes on inside the black boxes. The second is the more analytical approach, ultimately the more useful, which takes the student further and enables him to design and modify circuitry. EZectmnics for Ex.pevime~teVs is written in the second vein and is an excellent book for physicists a_nd chemists. Biologists, having less background ti physics and mathematics. may find other introductory books less formidable. The book begins with an introduction to simple network theory and a description of the conventional vacuum tube. Then having described the transistor and other selected solid-state devices, it gives a comparative account of transistor and vacuum-tube circuits. This is a most useful treatment and places the correct emphasis on solid-state devices, especially the transistor, which are still under-used in many laboratories. Besides the usual topics of amplification, detection, oscillation and switching, +he experimenter will find the two chapters on feedback and on bandwidth and noise particularly interesting. Finally, the design, construction and troubleshooting of some typical working circuits are described. Each chapter is concluded with some exercises and a few well-chosen references giving good weight to industrial technical manuals. The exercises are a fair test of the student’s comprehension of the subject matter, but the value of the numerical questions would have been enhanced by the inclusion of an answer set. Dr. PHILLIPS gives a refreshingly analytical approach to electronics which
should be appreciated by many eup&mentaLists. The circuit illustrations and general presentation of his book are first-class. It is to be recommended as a textbook not only for postgraduate courses, but also for the time-honoured method of learning electronics - self-instruction. A. P. Cox, School of Chemistry, J. EZectroanaZ. Chern., 15 (1967)
University
of Bristol
322
EZectracMtistr_v of MoZ&n and .SoZti EZeztroZytes, Vol. 3, edited by A. N. BARABOSHIUX, English translation, Consultants Bureau, New York, x966, pages viii+ 133, SI7.50* This book consists of twenty original contributions from the Institute of Electrochemistry of the Urals Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R.; it is in fact the Transactions (Trudy) No. 6 of the Institute. Among the important topics discussed are, electrode polarisation in solid electrolytes, the corrosion of
metals by molten chlorides and carbonates, the dependence of the structure of cathode deposits on the conditions of electrolysis, and the electrode reactions of hydrogen, oxygen and the carbonate anion in molten carbonates. The physicochemical properties of some solid o>ride systems have also been investigated. J_ EZecZmmaZ.Chm., 15 (Kg67) 322-323
BOOKRJZVLEWS
323
The subjects of the articles reflect the interest in such important technological topics as electrometallurgy and fuel cells in the U.S.S.R_ at the present time. The emphasis that the Russia_ns place on both pure and applied electrochemistry is
evidenced English
by the fact
translations
that
provide
all these papers a fascinating
come from the same institute.
a.nd up-to-date
insight
into
the
These Russian
literature
and current thought; the conclusions are clearly stated. A cursory examination indicates that the quality of the articles is not uniform ; no doubt the appropriate specialists would find many points to challenge in the individual papers. There is enough common subject matter to make the purchase of this volume by workers in the solid oxide and molten salt fields, worthwlnle. The book, which is soft-covered, is generally well-produced. D. INMXN, Imperial J_ EZecfroanaZ_
Chem.,
College, London 15 (19671
~ZZ-323
Inkractions ip~ElectrolyteSohtions, by G. H. NANCOLLAS, Elsevier PulSishing Company, Amsterdam,
x966,
x + 214
pages,
Dfl.
40.--_
For the purposes of this book, “interactions in electrolyte solutions” means mainly interactions in aqueous electrolyte solutions. In particular, the author has been concerned to produce a $xtantial account of the follcation of mononuclear
complexes
and of their properties.
The book begins with a brief description
of water
structure and dielectric theory-perhaps too brief to be useful. The second chapter gives a valuable description of the experimental methods that may be used to determine association constants and of the pitfalls facing the unwary. Chapter 3 describes the treatment of the data required to give association constants and the ways of bringing in activity coefficients. One wishes that more emphasis had been placed on the application of computer methods here, particularly as in practice it is often necessary to allow for formation of polynuclear complexes. The remainder of the book is concerned with the interpretation of association constants and their related heats and entropies. The appendix contains a useful compilation of experimental data. If a central point emerges from the book it is that although such thermodynamic measurements are essential preliminaries to understanding the properties of ion-pairs, they are indeed only preliminaries. It is clear that whilst we have by no means exhausted our need for more and accurate thermodynamic data, the most crucial experiments we must do relate to structural effects. This book is clearly written and well printed and will be of some considerable value both to the graduate student working in the specific area and to more experienced workers. The price, however, is sufficiently high to ensure that the book will mainly be purchased by libraries. S. B. BRUMMER,Tyco Laboratories Inc., Waltham, J_ E&.drounoZ-
Chm-,
Mass.
13 (x967)
323