ELECTROKINETIC TRANSPORT OF A SLENDER PARTICLE THROUGH A PORE

A theoretical model has been developed for estimating the electrokinet ic velocity of a slender cylindrical particle in a host pore. Both the particle and the pore wall bear surface charge. The pore-wall charge leads to electro-osmotic flow of the pore fluid. As a result, the part icle moves under the combined influence of an electrical force and a h ydrodynamic drag. These forces in turn are affected by the particle-po re electrical double layer interaction, when the ionic strength of the pore solution and/or the particle-pore-wall separation are small. The model takes into account these factors controlling the particle trans port, revealing design considerations for electrokinetic colloid separ ation processes.