CHARGE-DISTRIBUTION AMONG NONSPHERICAL PARTICLES IN A BIPOLAR ION ENVIRONMENT

The charge distribution on conducting aerosol particles of arbitrary s hape in bipolar ion environment is determined, assuming that the mean free path of ions is small compared to the particle size. It is shown that the charge balance equations yield the modified Boltzmann distrib ution as the stationary solution, rather than the standard Boltzmann l aw. Application of the latter is proved to contradict the irreversibil ity of the process, as well as the charge balance equations. In the ob tained analytical solution the particle capacitance acts as a shape fa ctor, which determines the effective particle radius.