What is the effect of Frenkel defect on electrical conductivity of the solid?
Frenkel defect tends to increase the dielectric constant of the crystal. Compounds having such defect conduct electricity to a small extent. When electric field is applied, an ion moves from its lattice site to occupy a hole, it creates a new hole. In this way, a hole moves from one end to the other. Thus, it conducts electricity across the crystal. Due to the presence of holes, stability (or the lattice energy) of the crystal decreases.
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