How Can Catalysts Enhance the Recombination of Oppositely Charged Ions?

[CloudChamber]

Is there any way to cataclyze the recombination of oppositely charged ions? I'm wondering if an effective method exists.
Thanks all!

 

[mathman]

You need to define the context. When opposite charged ions near each other, they usually combine.

 

[CloudChamber]

I know that cations and anions usually, by Coulomb's law, recombine. However, I was wondering if a force could applied to ensure and hasten this attraction. I was thinking about it in the context of ionizing radiation and free radicals.

 

[ImaLooser]

I know that cations and anions usually, by Coulomb's law, recombine. However, I was wondering if a force could applied to ensure and hasten this attraction. I was thinking about it in the context of ionizing radiation and free radicals.

I don't know, but there could be some clever way to use an EM field to increase the speed of recombination by concentrating the charged particles.

 

[Bob S]

Some gases with hasten the recombination (quench) of electrons and positive ions in gas-type particle detectors. See for example http://arxiv.org/pdf/0904.4421.pdf and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger–Müller_tube.