Executive Summary : | A surface can acquire a net surface charge when it is brought into aqueous solution (Hunter 1981) involving electrolyte solutions and thus a layer of net nonzero charge forms near the charged surface, which is referred to electric double layer (EDL). Note that EDL plays an important role in electrokinetic transport of charged particles immersed in ambient electrolyte. Though electrokinetically-driven flow through narrow confinement has significant advantages over classical pressure-driven flow, it has several disadvantages too. One of the major disadvantages is the Joule heating effect due to a high voltage drop across the channel. However, the same can be avoided for the cases when the applied potential field is weak or flow is generated due to concentration gradient. Microflows driven by applied pressure drop is also advantageous as it generates the streaming field. Besides, the electrokinetic flow field around charged colloidal particles is of much interest to the colloid science community, as electrokinetic transport theory may be used for correct measurement of the charges carried by the particle. There are a wide class of colloidal particles, which may be of either rigid (flow and ion impenetrable) or core-shell structured nanoparticulates. The flow behaviour of such particles requires a special treatment as the shell is made of polyelectrolytes, which allows flow and ion penetration. In addition, the polyelectrolytes often bear functionizable ionic groups, which produces non zero immobile charges across the polymer layer. Also, the charge density of the surface of the inner core and across the shell layer depends on physicochemical properties of the microenvironments. Thus, the study on transport of charged particles and charged species has potential impact on the colloid science community. |