Refined Theory of Ion Pairing. I. Equilibrium Aspects

This paper contains a detailed theory of ion pairing based on the viewpoint that the distribution of pairs is more fundamental than the density of ions in an ionic atmosphere. This distribution is then evaluated by considering the kinetic mechanism by means of which pairs exchange partners. The functions so derived, besides being applicable to nonequilibrium situations, are free of many of the inconsistencies which attend the simple theory of pairing based on mass action considerations. The present paper restricts attention to the properties at equilibrium.