Surface Electrical Conductance and Electrokinetic Potentials in Networks of Fibrous Materials

Stream-current, permeability, and conductance measurements were made on cylindrical pads of randomly oriented Dacron, glass, Nylon, and Orlon fibers over a range of electrolyte and solid concentrations. Values of the specific surface conductivity were computed from the conductance data, using equations which were derived from a capillary network theory.The measured conductance values were independent of pad concentration, increased with increasing electrolyte concentration, and were higher than values calculated from electrical double-layer theory using the measured values of ζ-potential. A number of plausible reasons for the discrepancies are advanced.