Electrokinetic and hydrodynamic properties of charged-particles systems: From small electrolyte ions to large colloids

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent theoretical advances in understanding the electrokinetic and hydrodynamic behaviors of charged-particle dispersions, covering a wide size range from ions to colloids, with applications in science and medicine.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mode-coupling-theory method for conduction-diffusion and viscoelastic properties of electrolyte solutions, and discusses new results for solvent-permeable particles and particles with slip surfaces.

Findings

Development of a mode-coupling-theory approach for electrolyte properties

Analysis of dispersions with solvent-permeable particles and slip surfaces

Identification of dynamic scaling in colloidal long- and short-time behavior

Abstract

Dynamic processes in dispersions of charged spherical particles are of importance both in fundamental science, and in technical and bio-medical applications. There exists a large variety of charged-particles systems, ranging from nanometer-sized electrolyte ions to micron-sized charge-stabilized colloids. We review recent advances in theoretical methods for the calculation of linear transport coefficients in concentrated particulate systems, with the focus on hydrodynamic interactions and electrokinetic effects. Considered transport properties are the dispersion viscosity, self- and collective diffusion coefficients, sedimentation coefficients, and electrophoretic mobilities and conductivities of ionic particle species in an external electric field. Advances by our group are also discussed, including a novel mode-coupling-theory method for conduction-diffusion and viscoelastic properties of strong electrolyte solutions. Furthermore, results are presented for dispersions of solvent-permeable particles, and particles with non-zero hydrodynamic surface slip. The concentration-dependent swelling of ionic microgels is discussed, as well as a far-reaching dynamic scaling behavior relating colloidal long- to short-time dynamics.