Diffusiophoresis of a soft spherical particle along the axis of a cylindrical microchannel

The diffusiophoresis of a soft particle is modeled theoretically by considering a soft sphere moving along the axis of a cylindrical microchannel. This geometry allows us to examine simultaneously the boundary effect and the nature of a particle on its diffusiophoretic behavior. The soft particle, which comprises a rigid core and an ion-penetrable layer, is capable of simulating biocolloids such as cells and particles covered by an artificial membrane layer. The results of numerical simulation reveal that due to its specific structure, the diffusiophoretic behavior of a soft particle is quite different from that of a rigid particle. The influence of the cylindrical microchannel on the diffusiophoretic behavior of the particle is also very different from that of other geometries considered in the literature. We show that, in addition to the effect of double-layer polarization, the effect of electrophoresis, and the electrical interaction between the coions outside the double layer and the particle, the nature of the soft particle can also influence both quantitatively and qualitatively its diffusiophoretic behavior. Several interesting results are observed, providing valuable reference for both the design of a diffusiophoresis device and the interpretation of the relevant experimental data.