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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
Published on: January 9, 2014
Electrophoresis in charge-stabilized colloidal cluster phases.
Jan Groenewold1, Tianhui Zhang, Willem K Kegel
1Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.groenewold@uu.nl
This study predicts electrophoresis measurements for cluster phases, revealing distinct mobilities for monomers and clusters. Results show strong dependence on particle volume fraction, aiding interpretation of complex electrophoretic data.
Area of Science:
- Colloid and Interface Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Cluster phases exhibit reversible properties stabilized by Coulomb interactions.
- Direct measurement of charges within these cluster phases remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To predict the outcomes of electrophoresis measurements on cluster phases.
- To provide a theoretical framework for interpreting experimental data.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of electrophoresis.
- Simulation of particle dynamics and charge interactions.
Main Results:
- Monomers and clusters display significantly different mobilities (zeta potentials) within the same sample.
- Particle mobilities are highly sensitive to variations in particle volume fraction.
Conclusions:
- Electrophoresis can differentiate between monomers and clusters in a sample.
- Theoretical predictions offer guidance for analyzing complex electrophoretic measurements of cluster phases.
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