Reversible Ionic Aggregation Kinetics in Concentrated Electrolytes

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1. Verfasser: Goodwin, Zachary A. H.
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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author Goodwin, Zachary A. H.
author_facet Goodwin, Zachary A. H.
contents Here we develop a formalism for reversible ionic aggregation kinetics in an example concentrated electrolyte, building on previous equilibrium work of McEldrew and co-workers, and thermoreversible polymers and patchy particle systems. This is achieved through solving a macroscopic rate equation of open/occupied association sites, shown to be a solution of the reversible Smoluchowski aggregation equation, which predicts how ionic associations in electrolytes change subject to a step-change in conditions. We test the derived equations against atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of a salt-in-ionic liquid, where good qualitative agreement is obtained, but quantitative differences are found. This highlights the multiple time scales that exist in concentrated electrolytes, with a fast timescale preceding a longer timescale. We hope this formalism opens new avenues in understanding the dynamics and non-equilibrium behaviour in electrolytes. For example, the formalism can be developed further to investigate the non-Newtonian behaviour of concentrated electrolytes, double layer charging, and the slow dynamics of these electrolytes in confinement.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_07203
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Reversible Ionic Aggregation Kinetics in Concentrated Electrolytes
Goodwin, Zachary A. H.
Soft Condensed Matter
Here we develop a formalism for reversible ionic aggregation kinetics in an example concentrated electrolyte, building on previous equilibrium work of McEldrew and co-workers, and thermoreversible polymers and patchy particle systems. This is achieved through solving a macroscopic rate equation of open/occupied association sites, shown to be a solution of the reversible Smoluchowski aggregation equation, which predicts how ionic associations in electrolytes change subject to a step-change in conditions. We test the derived equations against atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of a salt-in-ionic liquid, where good qualitative agreement is obtained, but quantitative differences are found. This highlights the multiple time scales that exist in concentrated electrolytes, with a fast timescale preceding a longer timescale. We hope this formalism opens new avenues in understanding the dynamics and non-equilibrium behaviour in electrolytes. For example, the formalism can be developed further to investigate the non-Newtonian behaviour of concentrated electrolytes, double layer charging, and the slow dynamics of these electrolytes in confinement.
title Reversible Ionic Aggregation Kinetics in Concentrated Electrolytes
topic Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.07203