Dielectric Relaxation in Liquid n-Octyl Iodide

Dielectric constant and loss were measured between −40° and +40°C at audio frequencies and at twelve frequencies from 10 Mc/sec to 9 Gc/sec. The frequency dependences deviate slightly from a Davidson—Cole skewed-arc function with β=0.67 by having slightly lower loss near the center of the dispersion. The dependence of relaxation frequency on temperature gives an average value 4.3 kcal/mole for the heat of activation, but the rate plot shows curvature. Previous measurements on alkyl halides believed to show symmetrical or ``left-skew'' complex dielectric constant loci are shown to be consistent with the present skewed arc dependence if certain data are systematically in error.