ELECTROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METAL-SOLID-ELECTROLYTE COMPOSITES

An effective-medium theory of a random mixture of metal and solid elec trolyte particles is developed to describe the bulk ac conductance of the composite. It predicts a 4 to 6 orders of magnitude enhancement of the dielectric permeability of the composite near the percolation thr eshold for electronic conductivity. As the frequency increases, the en hancement falls to the level of a metal-dielectric composite, as the r ole of the double-layer capacitance of the blocking interfaces between metal and electrolyte grains diminishes. Analytical expressions are o btained for the conductivity and dielectric function over the whole ra nge of relative concentrations and in a broad frequency range.