Redefining pH and Advancing Electrolyte Thermodynamics using Ion Trios (ARC Discovery Project administered by The University of Western Australia) (2026-2029)
Abstract
No definition of pH is universally accepted even though it is the most commonly measured physicochemical quantity. This project aims to apply a recent breakthrough achieved for 3-ion solutions to the description of multicomponent electrolyte mixtures like seawater and many other industrially or environmentally important fluids. This project expects to quantify important reactions like the uptake of CO2 by the oceans more accurately than currently possible. Expected outcomes include new pH standards with uncertainties 10 times smaller than existing definitions, and software tools for predicting the properties of real-world solutions. This should provide benefits like CO2 capture by brine mineralisation, and CO2 conversion to clean fuels.
