1807-1809年间汉弗莱·戴维在氨气中加入钾的晶粒,第一次观察到了溶剂化电子所造成的颜色。1879-1880年间詹姆斯·巴兰坦·汉内(英语:James Ballantyne Hannay)和J. Hogarth使用钠重复了戴维的实验。1907年查尔斯·A·克劳斯(英语:Charles A. Kraus)测量了金属-液氨溶液的电导率,首先将电导率的变化归结为金属电离出的自由电子[3][4]。1918年G. E. Gibson和W·L·阿尔戈提出了溶剂化电子的概念[5]。他们注意到,根据吸收光谱,不同的金属在不同的溶剂如甲胺和乙胺中可以产生相同的蓝色,表明是由同一种物质,溶剂化电子导致的。1970年,科学家表征了包含电子化合物的固体盐。[6]
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