Thermal non-equilibrium transport in colloids

Abstract

A temperature gradient acts like an external field on colloidal suspensions and drives the solute particles to the cold or to the warm, depending on interfacial and solvent properties. We discuss different transport mechanisms for charged colloids, and how a thermal gradient gives rise to companion fields. Particular emphasis is put on the thermal response of the electrolyte solution: positive and negative ions diffuse along the temperature gradient and thus induce a thermoelectric field which in turn acts on the colloidal charges. Regarding polymers in organic solvents, the physical mechanism changes with decreasing molecular weight: high polymers are described in the framework of macroscopic hydrodynamics; for short chains and molecular mixtures of similar size, the Brownian motion of solute and solvent becomes important. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.