Importance of pH-regulated charge density on the electrophoresis of soft particles

The present study deals with the electrophoresis of spherical soft particles consisting of an ion and liquid-penetrable but liquid-flow-impenetrable inner core surrounded by an ion and fluid-penetrable polyelectrolyte layer. The inner core is considered to be dielectric and bearing basic functional group coated with polyelectrolyte layer containing acidic functional group. An approximate expression for the electrophoretic mobility of such a particle is obtained under a low potential limit. The electrophoretic behaviour of the undertaken particle is investigated for a wide range of bulk pH values and electrolyte concentrations. Our study also indicates some remarkable features of the electrophoresis e.g., occurrence of zero mobility, mobility reversal etc.

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