Electrophoretic motion of a slightly deformed sphere with a nonuniform zeta potential distribution

Abstract

Electrophoretic motion is analyzed for a rigid, slightly deformed sphere with a nonuniform zeta potential distribution. Hydrodynamics and electrostatics solutions for the deformed sphere with an arbitrary double-layer thickness are determined by using the domain perturbation method. The surface shape and the zeta potential distribution for the deformed sphere are expressed by using the multipole expansion representation. In terms of monopole, dipole, and quadrupole moments of the surface shape and the zeta potential distribution, explicit expressions are obtained for the translational and rotational electrophoretic mobility tensors. The ensemble average for the mobility of the deformed sphere with a uniform orientation distribution is also derived. The utility of the general mobility expression is demonstrated by studying the electrophoretic motion of axisymmetric and ellipsoidal particles. The translational and rotational mobilities of axisymmetric particles are both affected by the monopole, dipole, and quadrupole moments of the zeta potential. For ellipsoidal particles, however, the dipole moment of the zeta potential does not affect the translational mobility, while the rotational mobility depends only on the dipole moment. The mobility of the deformed sphere with either a thick or a thin double layer is also derived. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).