Electrophoresis of a soft toroid coaxially along the axis of a cylindrical pore
Journal
Chemical Engineering Science
Journal Volume
64
Journal Issue
24
Pages
5247-5254
Date Issued
2009
Author(s)
Kuo C.-C.
Abstract
The electrophoresis of a soft toroid, which comprises a rigid core and a porous layer, coaxially along the axis of a cylindrical pore is analyzed under the conditions of low surface potential and weak applied electric field. The geometry considered simulates the electrophoresis of various types of biocolloid such as bacterial DNA, plasmid DNA, and anabaenopsis, in a confined space. We show that under typical conditions the electrophoretic behavior of a soft toroid can be different from that of a rigid toroid. For instance, the effect that the presence of a boundary can raise the mobility of a rigid toroid may not be present for a soft toroid. Several interesting behaviors are also observed. For example, if the friction coefficient of the membrane layer of a toroid is small, the larger the friction coefficient the greater is the effect electroosmotic flow, and therefore, the larger the mobility, but the reverse trend is observed if the friction coefficient is sufficiently large. ? 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Subjects
Boundary effect
Cylindrical pore
Electrophoresis
Numerical simulation
Soft toroid
Theoretical analysis
Type
journal article