pHnë

pHnë is a fictional term used in speculative chemistry and science fiction to describe a solvent-adjusted measure of hydrogen ion activity. It is not an established SI quantity but a conceptual extension of the standard pH scale intended to address environments where pH is poorly defined or misleading, such as non-aqueous solvents, ionic liquids, or highly confined microenvironments.

Definition and idea: In the imagined framework, pHnë retains the log-scale character of pH but adds a solvent-dependent correction that accounts for hydrogen ion solvation, dielectric constant, and ion pairing. Conceptually, pHnë is described as pHnë = -log10(a_H+) + F(ε, σ, I), where a_H+ is the hydrogen ion activity and F reflects solvent properties like dielectric constant (ε), polarity, and ionic strength (I). Different solvents yield different pHnë values for the same hydrogen-ion activity, highlighting solvent effects on acidity.

Measurement and challenges: Measurement relies on microelectrodes or sensor arrays designed for non-aqueous phases, calibrated against solvent-specific buffers. Because there is no universal standard, pHnë values are not directly comparable across solvent systems without explicit reconciliation procedures.

Origin and use: The term and concept emerged in online speculative discussions and fiction. It is sometimes invoked to discuss how acidity could behave in exotic solvents or nanoconfined channels in future technologies.

See also: pH, solvent effects on acidity, ionic liquids, hydrogen ion activity, acidity scales.