Suggestion as to Structure in Ionic Solutions

The Debye-Hückel theory gives about each ion an atmosphere of ions which is preponderately of the opposite sign. While this theory is the best quantitative theory at the present time, yet it neither explains nor discusses the manner in which both the association of ions and of ions with solvent molecules can occur. But in x-ray diffraction in several normal alcohol solutions with lithium chloride as a solute, it has been found that the quasi-structure of the liquids is modified in precisely the manner one would expect if these liquids can be regarded a mixture of liquified ionic crystals of alcoholates and the corresponding alcohols. This suggestion gives a description in terms of what we know about the structure of crystals and of solid solutions. It accounts for both the association of ions and the associations of ions with solvent molecules