Approximate analytic expressions for the electrophoretic mobility of spherical soft particles

Area of Science:

• Colloid and Surface Science
• Physical Chemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Electrophoretic mobility is crucial for understanding particle behavior in electric fields.
• Soft particles, with polymer layers, present unique challenges in mobility calculations.
• Existing models often require complex numerical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• Derive approximate analytic expressions for the electrophoretic mobility of spherical soft particles.
• Develop a simplified model applicable to particles with charged or uncharged cores and polymer layers.
• Validate the new expressions against exact numerical results and existing theories.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of approximate analytic expressions based on soft particle characteristics.
• Analysis of particle core and surface polymer layer charge effects.
• Comparison with numerical integration results and established limiting cases.

Main Results:

• Obtained analytic expressions for electrophoretic mobility that do not require numerical integration.
• Demonstrated excellent agreement between the derived expressions and exact numerical results.
• Confirmed that the new expressions encompass previously established limiting and approximate analytic models.

Conclusions:

• The derived approximate analytic expressions offer a computationally efficient method for predicting electrophoretic mobility.
• The model is versatile, applicable to various soft particle configurations (charged/uncharged components).
• This work provides a valuable tool for researchers studying charged soft particles in electrolytes.