Polaron model of the solvated electron-the electronic and orientational polarization

Abstract

The classical 'Polaron' model of the solvated electron has been reconsidered taking into account only the electronic polarization. This approach provides good agreement between calculated and experimental optical absorption maxima of this species in a number of systems and predicts a red shift in the optical absorption maximum with increasing temperature in the case of both water and ice in agreement with the experimental finding. Trapping potential for the electron obtained on the basis of electronic polarization only turns out to be about the same as that obtained on the basis of the classical approach. It is also shown that in order to confine the electron within one molecular distance from the origin during the time taken for dipolar orientation the corresponding relaxation time must be of the order of 10^-15-10^-16 sec., i.e. corresponding to optical frequencies.