Electroosmotic flow in capillary channels filled with nonconstant viscosity electrolytes: Exact solution of the Navier-Stokes equation

• Published in: Electrophoresis 2002-10, Vol.23 (20), p.3574-3582
• Main Authors: Otevrel, Marek, Klepárník, Karel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capillary electrophoresis; Electrochemistry; Electrolytes; Electroosmotic flow; Electrophoresis, Capillary - instrumentation; Electrophoresis, Capillary - methods; Miniaturization; Models, Theoretical; Navier-Stokes equation; Osmosis; Viscosity
• ISSN: 0173-0835; 1522-2683
• DOI: 10.1002/1522-2683(200210)23:20<3574::AID-ELPS3574>3.0.CO;2-J

The partial differential equation describing unsteady velocity profile of electroosmotic flow (EOF) in a cylindrical capillary filled with a nonconstant viscosity electrolyte was derived. Analytical solution, based on the general Navier‐Stokes equation, was found for constant viscosity electrolytes using the separation of variables (Fourier method). For the case of a nonconstant viscosity electrolyte, the steady‐state velocity profile was calculated assuming that the viscosity decreases exponentially in the direction from the wall to the capillary center. Since the respective equations with nonconstant viscosity term are not solvable in general, the method of continuous binding conditions was used to solve this problem. In this method, an arbitrary viscosity profile can be modeled. The theoretical conclusions show that the relaxation times at which an EOF approaches the steady state are too short to have an impact on a separation process in any real systems. A viscous layer at the wall affects EOF significantly, if it is thicker than the Debye length of the electric double layer. The presented description of the EOF dynamics is applicable to any microfluidic systems.