electrolyticadj.n.

1834 M. Faraday in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 124 80 Water,..from its frequent presence in cases of electrolytic action, has hitherto stood foremost in this respect.

1850 W. R. Grove On Correlation Physical Forces (ed. 2) 86 Electrolytic power of water.

1906 H. J. H. Fenton Notes Qualitative Anal. (new ed.) 64 Acids, salts and bases may, according to theory, undergo electrolytic dissociation on [perh. read or] ionisation in the sense MX ⇄ M· + X′.

1923 U. R. Evans Metals & Metallic Compounds I. 55 Electrolytic Dissociation or Ionization: a splitting into electrically charged ions, of which the ‘positive ion’ consists of the most characteristic metal present, bereft of some or all of its valency electrons.

1953 R. W. Fairbrother Text-bk. Bacteriol. (ed. 7) vi. 61 The bactericidal action of acids is largely dependent on the degree of electrolytic dissociation exhibited, i.e., on the concentration of the H ions.

1978 W. B. McCloskey Highliners (1980) xxi. 269 The initial pots also had wire mesh, which disintegrated in a few months through an electrolytic interaction in salt water with the steel frames.

1997 D. F. Wallace Supposedly Fun Thing I'll never do Again 225 All those pricey electrolytic sports drinks are mostly bullshit,..salt and carbs at table and small lakes of daily H₂O are the way to go.

1872 J. S. Cohen Dis. Throat 208 The improvement began with the institution of the electrolytic treatment.

1892 Daily News 7 Dec. 5/6 The united production of all the electrolytic copper works in the world is estimated..at between thirty and forty thousand tons of copper every year.

1924 A. J. Allmand & H. J. T. Ellingham Princ. Appl. Electrochem. (ed. 2) xvi. 348 A method of producing electrolytic iron direct from ore has recently been discussed.

1937 Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 136 42 A Electrolytic polishing—really a type of etching—allows the properties of the crystal faces to be studied.

1978 Times 27 Jan. 23/2 Japan's revised delivery of electrolytic copper in November was a record at 88,893 tonnes.

2007 Materials Sci. & Engin. A. 447 286/2 The last sample preparation step was electrolytic polishing.

1912 Times 19 Dec. 20/3 The level of prices in this market [is] considered favourable to buyers in comparison with those at present ruling in New York for electrolytic.

1930 Economist 20 Sept. 538/2 Some of the smaller independent producers in America are now offering electrolytic at only 10½c. per lb.

1936 Wireless & Gramophone Trader 28 Mar. p. viii/2 Condensers C18, C19.—These are two 8 μF dry electrolytics, in a single unit with a common negative..lead.

1946 J. P. Eckert in Moore School Lect. (1985) 243 The electrolytics gave the most trouble. Some of these failures were caused by installing some incorrectly rated condensers as a result of a misunderstanding with the supplier.

1957 Pract. Wireless 33 541/1 Replacing electrolytics requires care inasmuch as voltages may be allowed to develop accidentally across to the various electrodes.

2003 Electronics World Jan. 45/1 Electrolytics are highly inductive at audio frequencies.

1932 U.S. Patent 1,846,844 2/1 In some cases such treated foil may be wound up, or otherwise fabricated into condensers,..while still wet or damp, with electrolyte, thereby forming an electrolytic capacitor.

1958 Newnes Compl. Amateur Photogr. 113 A 22.5 V. hearing aid battery is used to charge an electrolytic capacitor through the flashbulb.

1992 RS Components: Electronic & Electr. Products July–Oct. 69/1 PCB mounting aluminium electrolytic capacitors..are intended for mechanical connections only.

1858 T. Graham & H. Watts Elem. Chem. (ed. 2) II. 635 The electrolytic cell was then removed, and a thin platinum wire introduced between the poles, of such a length as to produce a resistance equal to that of the electrolyte.

1924 A. J. Allmand & H. J. T. Ellingham Princ. Appl. Electrochem. (ed. 2) vi. 77 The working voltage of an electrolytic cell always exceeds the theoretical decomposition voltage.

2003 Membrane Technol. 12/3 [The] electrolytic cell for reducing a metal oxide, such as titania..includes an anode, formed from carbon, and a cathode, formed at least in part from the metal oxide.