Transport in polymer-gel composites: Response to a bulk concentration gradient

TL;DR

This study develops a theoretical model to analyze how electrolyte-saturated polymer gels with charged inclusions respond to concentration gradients, affecting ion fluxes, electric fields, and flow behaviors, with implications for diagnostic applications.

Contribution

The paper extends previous electrokinetic models to include the effects of charged inclusions on bulk ion fluxes and flow in polymer gels under concentration gradients.

Findings

Effective ion diffusion coefficients are significantly altered by inclusions.

Asymmetric electrolytes can behave as symmetrical electrolytes depending on surface charge.

Flow driven by concentration gradients can be directed either up or down the gradient.

Abstract

This paper examines the response of electrolyte-saturated polymer gels, embedded with charged spherical inclusions, to a weak gradient of electrolyte concentration. These composites present a model system to study microscale electrokinetic transport processes, and a rigorous theoretical prediction of the bulk properties will benefit novel diagnostic applications. An electrokinetic model was presented in an earlier publication, and the response of homogeneous composites to a weak electric field was calculated. In this work, the influence of the inclusions on bulk ion fluxes and the strength of an electric field (or membrane diffusion potential) induced by the bulk electrolyte concentration gradient are computed. Effective ion diffusion coefficients are significantly altered by the inclusions, so--depending on the inclusion surface charge or $\zeta$-potential--asymmetric electrolytes can behave as symmetrical electrolytes, and vice versa. The theory also quantifies the strength of flow driven by concentration-gradient-induced perturbations to the equilibrium diffuse double layers. Similarly to diffusiophoresis, the flow may be either up or down the applied concentration gradient.