A PARAMETER AS AN INDICATOR FOR WATER-WATER ASSOCIATION IN SOLUTIONS OF STRONG ELECTROLYTES

After a short discussion of the formal significance of the association parameter (A), this quantity is calculated from revised experimental results for proton magnetic relaxation rates, deuteron magnetic relaxa tion rates, and self-diffusion coefficients of the water in aqueous so lutions of a number of 1:1 and 2:1 electrolytes. An increase of the A- parameter with decreasing water concentration, which is an indicator f or water proton-proton association, was found in solutions of the stru cture breakers CsCl and CsBr, probably for RbCl and RbBr as well. Decr ease of the A-parameter with decreasing water concentration, i.e., wat er deassociation, was observed for moderately hydrated cations like Li + and Na+. In 2:1 electrolytes, partly showing complex formation, the water-water association is a more complicated function of the salt con centration.