Abstract

The evolution of the complex conductivity of raw polysaccharides extracted from Cystoseira myriophyloides algae exhibited significant temperature dependence in an aqueous solution. An analysis of the complex conductivity versus frequency was conducted using an appropriate electrical circuit based on our theoretical approach. This facilitated the generation of analytical functions representing the relaxation processes occurring at different temperatures. Subsequently, extrapolation and deconvolution procedures were employed to further investigate and identify all relaxation processes and their origins. These approaches revealed the presence of three relaxation processes. The first relaxation, observed at low frequency, is attributed to interfacial polarization between the electrode and the solution. The second and third relaxations, observed at medium and high frequencies, are attributed to bulk relaxation processes. Then, subtracting the low-frequency process clarified the bulk relaxation processes. Both relaxations are described by the Cole-Cole relaxation, which effectively models the well-known Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars (MWS) phenomenon typically observed in polyelectrolyte solutions. This relaxation is typically caused by interfacial polarization between molecular chains and counterions in the sample. Both relaxations were found to be thermally activated. The temperature dependence of useful parameters extracted from each relaxation, such as relaxation time (τσ) and conductivity (σdc) and (σ∞), followed Arrhenius law behavior. Furthermore, activation energy values for each relaxation process were determined, establishing a linear correlation between activation energy values related to relaxation time (τσ) and both conductivities (σdc) and (σ∞). These results confirm the origin of bulk relaxations and demonstrate a strong link between relaxation and conduction mechanisms.