The Impact of Random Variations in the Zeta Potential on Electrophoresis

H.A. Stone
Harvard University, US

Keywords: electrophoresis randomness electroosmosis

Abstract:
It has been known at least since the work of Anderson (1985) how a nonuniform surface charge distribution, or zeta potential, modifies the electrophoretically driven translation and rotation of a sphere in the thin double layer limit. Several extensions of this type of thinking have been described by Long and Ajdari (1998). Motivated by the recent work of Gleason (2002) on the influence of random variations in the zeta potential on electro-osmotic flows in channels, here we consider the impact of random variations in the zeta potential on the electrophoretic motion of a sphere. Both translational and rotational motions will be discussed. Several natural extensions of these ideas will be presented. References: J.L. Anderson, J. Coll. Int. Sci. 105, 45 (1985). D. Long and A. Ajdari, Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 1529 (1998). J.P. Gleason, J. Coll. Int. Sci. 249, 217 (2002).

Nanotech 2004 Conference Technical Program Abstract