Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Electrical Double Layer01:30

The Electrical Double Layer

In the region where two bulk phases meet, an intricate electric charge distribution arises due to charge transfer, ion adsorption, molecular orientation, and charge distortion. This complex distribution is commonly referred to as the electrical double layer.When a solid electrode interfaces with ions in an electrolyte solution, the speed of electron transfer dictates the rates of oxidation and reduction. The electrode acquires a charge through the escape of atoms into the solution as cations or...
Electric Field of Parallel Conducting Plates01:16

Electric Field of Parallel Conducting Plates

Gauss' law relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the net charge enclosed by that surface. Gauss's law can be applied to find the electric field and the charge enclosed in a region depending on its charge distribution.
Consider a cross-section of a thin, infinite conducting plate having a positive charge. For such a large thin plate, as the thickness of the plate tends to zero, the positive charges lie on the plate's two large faces. Without an external electric field, the...
Electric Field of Two Equal and Opposite Charges01:30

Electric Field of Two Equal and Opposite Charges

Atoms generally contain the same number of positively and negatively charged particles, protons, and electrons. Hence, they are electrically neutral. However, the centers of the positive and negative charges do not always coincide. In such a scenario, the electric field of an atom may not be zero.
A separation of the positive and negative charges can lead to a weak, remnant effect of the positive and negative charges. The expectation is that the more the distance between the positive and...
Electrochemical Systems01:24

Electrochemical Systems

Electrochemical systems provide a fascinating insight into the dynamic interplay of charged species within various phases. One notable example is the interaction between a membrane permeable to K⁺ ions but not to Cl⁻ ions, separating an aqueous KCl solution from pure water. As K⁺ ions diffuse through the membrane, they generate net charges on each phase, leading to a potential difference between them.Similarly, when a piece of Zn is immersed in an aqueous ZnSO₄ solution, the Zn metal, composed...
Potential Due to a Polarized Object01:29

Potential Due to a Polarized Object

A neutral atom consists of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by a negatively charged electron cloud. When placed in an external electric field, the external electric force pulls the electrons and nucleus apart, opposite to the intrinsic attraction between the nucleus and the electrons. The opposing forces balance each other with a slight shift between the center of masses of the nucleus and the electron cloud, resulting in a polarized atom. On the other hand, a few molecules, like water,...
Electric Field of a Charged Disk01:23

Electric Field of a Charged Disk

The simplest case of a surface charge distribution is the uniformly charged disk. Calculating its electric field also helps us calculate the electric field of a large plane of charge.
The system's symmetry is in the cylindrical directions across the plane of the charge. As a result, the electric fields created by various surface charge elements nullify each other in the direction parallel to the surface. Thereby, the resulting electric field is perpendicular to the plane. Since the disk is...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sequence disorder-induced first order phase transition in confined polyelectrolytes.

The Journal of chemical physics·2024
Same author

pH-induced morphological changes of proteinaceous viral shells.

Scientific reports·2019
Same author

Structural interactions in ionic liquids linked to higher-order Poisson-Boltzmann equations.

Physical review. E·2017
Same author

General theory of asymmetric steric interactions in electrostatic double layers.

Soft matter·2015
Same author

Quantitative nanoscale electrostatics of viruses.

Nanoscale·2015
Same author

Antipolar and Anticlinic Mesophase Order in Chromatin Induced by Nucleosome Polarity and Chirality Correlations.

Physical review letters·2015

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone
08:06

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone

Published on: February 23, 2017

Electrostatic image effects for counterions between charged planar walls.

M Kanduc1, R Podgornik

  • 1Department of Theoretical Physics, J. Stefan Institute, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter
|July 21, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Dielectric inhomogeneities significantly alter interactions between charged surfaces. Image charge effects are minimal in weak coupling but crucial in strong coupling, impacting surface interactions fundamentally.

More Related Videos

AC Electrokinetic Phenomena Generated by Microelectrode Structures
20:38

AC Electrokinetic Phenomena Generated by Microelectrode Structures

Published on: July 28, 2008

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−
06:53

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−

Published on: July 27, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone
08:06

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone

Published on: February 23, 2017

AC Electrokinetic Phenomena Generated by Microelectrode Structures
20:38

AC Electrokinetic Phenomena Generated by Microelectrode Structures

Published on: July 28, 2008

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−
06:53

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F−

Published on: July 27, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Interactions between charged surfaces are fundamental in colloid science, electrochemistry, and soft matter.
  • Dielectric mismatches can induce electrostatic image forces, influencing interfacial phenomena.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for predicting the behavior of charged systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of dielectric inhomogeneities on the interaction forces between two parallel, oppositely charged surfaces.
  • To analyze the role of electrostatic image interactions in both weak and strong coupling regimes.
  • To provide a theoretical framework for systems where computational simulations are challenging.

Main Methods:

  • Analytical calculations based on electrostatic theory.
  • Modeling of dielectric environments with varying dielectric constants.
  • Analysis of fluctuation terms in weak-coupling and strong-coupling limits.

Main Results:

  • Image charge effects are generally negligible in the weak-coupling limit, appearing only in second-order fluctuations.
  • In the strong-coupling limit, image effects become substantial and fundamentally alter surface interactions.
  • The derived analytical approach simplifies analysis in parameter regimes intractable for simulations.

Conclusions:

  • Dielectric inhomogeneities play a critical role in charged surface interactions, particularly under strong coupling conditions.
  • Electrostatic image forces are essential for accurately describing interfacial behavior in heterogeneous dielectric media.
  • This work offers a valuable theoretical tool for studying complex interfacial systems.