Transport anomalies in glasses

We discuss a recently developed random walk model for ionic transport in glass, which offers a simple explanation to the so far unexplained transport anomalies in glassy ionic conductors: The set of anomalies combined under the name mixed alkali effect and the drastic increase of the ionic conductivity with the concentration of mobile ions. The model is based on the experimental evidence that ions maintain their distinct local environments and leads to the formation of fluctuating structural pathways. The connectivity of these pathways determines the ion mobility in the glassy network.