Ionic strength, calculation definition

The rate constants for the reaction of a pyridinium Ion with cyanide have been measured in both a cationic and nonlonic oil in water microemulsion as a function of water content. There is no effect of added salt on the reaction rate in the cationic system, but a substantial effect of ionic strength on the rate as observed in the nonionic system. Estimates of the ionic strength in the "Stern layer" of the cationic microemulsion have been employed to correct the rate constants in the nonlonic system and calculate effective surface potentials. The ion-exchange (IE) model, which assumes that reaction occurs in the Stern layer and that the nucleophile concentration is determined by an ion-exchange equilibrium with the surfactant counterion, has been applied to the data. The results, although not definitive because of the ionic strength dependence, indicate that the IE model may not provide the best description of this reaction system. 

We also determined the effect of ionic strength on the formation of 3-MPA and 3-MPN in NaCl solutions at pH 8.0 and 40°C. Figure 6 shows plots of log k vs. I1/2, where k is the overall rate constant (units M day1), calculated as ki/fH ]. The rate of 3-MPA formation shows definite increase (slope from regression is 0.22) with ionic strength, which is in agreement with the Bronsted-Bjerrum equation. The formation of 3-MPN also shows an increase with ionic... 

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