Elektrokineti

Elektrokineti is a broad term encompassing phenomena that arise from the interplay of electric fields and fluid motion. It covers a range of effects, including electrophoresis, electroosmosis, and streaming potential. These phenomena are rooted in the presence of an electrical double layer, which forms at the interface between a charged solid surface and an electrolyte solution. When an electric field is applied, or when fluid is forced to move past a charged surface, it can induce the movement of ions within this double layer, leading to macroscopic fluid motion or the movement of charged particles.

Electrophoresis, for instance, describes the motion of charged particles suspended in a fluid under the influence of an electric field. This principle is widely used in analytical techniques like gel electrophoresis for separating biomolecules based on their charge and size. Electroosmosis, on the other hand, refers to the bulk flow of a fluid through a porous material or a narrow channel when an electric field is applied across it. This effect is leveraged in applications such as microfluidic devices and pumps. Streaming potential is the converse of electroosmosis, where the movement of a fluid through a porous medium or capillary generates an electric potential difference. Understanding elektrokineti is crucial for fields ranging from colloid science and surface chemistry to biophysics and microfluidics, enabling the design of novel devices and the analysis of complex interfacial processes.