Electron mobility, free ion yields, and electron thermalization distances in n-alkane liquids: Effect of chain length

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Abstract
The electron mobility μo was measured as a function of temperature in liquid n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, and n-undecane, and at 295 K in n-pentane. Combination of these with earlier measurements of ours showed that μ0 at 295 K decreased monotonically with increasing carbon chain length in n-alkane liquids from ethane to n-tetradecane. There was no significant difference between odd and even carbon number compounds. The results were in accord with two-state interpretations of electron transport. Free ion yields were measured in liquid n-Cx H2x+2 (4≤x≤14, except 13) and electron thermalization ranges bGP were estimated using the extended Onsager model. The zero field free ion yield G0fi at 295 K decreased with increasing chain length. The density-normalized thermalization range of electrons was bGPd=(41±1)×10−7 kg/m2 in all n-alkanes from C4 to C14 under the conditions of this study.