Solute-mediated colloidal vortex in a microfluidic T-junction

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Liu, Haoyu, Pahlavan, Amir A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Liu, Haoyu
Pahlavan, Amir A.
author_facet Liu, Haoyu
Pahlavan, Amir A.
contents Solute gradients next to an interface drive a diffusioosmotic flow, the origin of which lies in the intermolecular interactions between the solute and the interface. These flows on the surface of colloids introduce an effective slip velocity, driving their diffusiophoretic migration. In confined environments, we expect the interplay between diffusiophoretic migration and diffusioosmotic flows near the walls to govern the motion of colloids. These near-wall osmotic flows are, however, often considered weak and neglected. Here, using microfluidic experiments in a T-junction, numerical simulations, and theoretical modeling, we show that the interplay between osmotic and phoretic effects leads to unexpected outcomes: forming a colloidal vortex in the absence of inertial effects, and demixing and focusing of the colloids in the direction opposite to what is commonly expected from diffusiophoresis alone. We show these colloidal vortices to be persistent for a range of salt types, salt gradients, and flow rates, and establish a criterion for their emergence. Our work sheds light on how boundaries modulate the solute-mediated transport of colloids in confined environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_01594
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Solute-mediated colloidal vortex in a microfluidic T-junction
Liu, Haoyu
Pahlavan, Amir A.
Soft Condensed Matter
Fluid Dynamics
Solute gradients next to an interface drive a diffusioosmotic flow, the origin of which lies in the intermolecular interactions between the solute and the interface. These flows on the surface of colloids introduce an effective slip velocity, driving their diffusiophoretic migration. In confined environments, we expect the interplay between diffusiophoretic migration and diffusioosmotic flows near the walls to govern the motion of colloids. These near-wall osmotic flows are, however, often considered weak and neglected. Here, using microfluidic experiments in a T-junction, numerical simulations, and theoretical modeling, we show that the interplay between osmotic and phoretic effects leads to unexpected outcomes: forming a colloidal vortex in the absence of inertial effects, and demixing and focusing of the colloids in the direction opposite to what is commonly expected from diffusiophoresis alone. We show these colloidal vortices to be persistent for a range of salt types, salt gradients, and flow rates, and establish a criterion for their emergence. Our work sheds light on how boundaries modulate the solute-mediated transport of colloids in confined environments.
title Solute-mediated colloidal vortex in a microfluidic T-junction
topic Soft Condensed Matter
Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.01594