Charge fluctuations and counterion condensation.
We predict a condensation phenomenon in an overall neutral system, consisting of a single charged plate and its oppositely charged counterions. Based on the "two-fluid" model, in which the counterions are divided into a "free" and a "condensed" fraction, we argue that for high surface charge, fluctuations can lead to a phase transition in which a large fraction of counterions is condensed. Furthermore, we show that depending on the valence, the condensation is either a first-order or a smooth transition.
Lau
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AW
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pensylvania 19104, USA.
Lukatsky
D B
DB
Pincus
P
P
Safran
S A
SA