title: Controlling electroosmotic flows by polymer coatings: A joint experimental-theoretical investigation.
abstract: We analyze the electroosmotic flow (EOF) of an electrolytic solution in a polymer coated capillary electrophoresis tube. The polymeric density, charge, thickness, and the capillary tube charge vary as a function of pH and produce a non-trivial modulation of the EOF, including a flow reversal at acid pH conditions. By means of a theoretical argument and numerical simulations, we recover the experimental curve for the EOF, providing a firm approach for predictive analysis of electroosmosis under different polymeric coating conditions. A proposed application of the approach is to determine the near-wall charge of the coating to be used for further quantitative analysis of the electroosmotic flow and mobility.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM-CNR), Via Mario Bianco, 20131 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monteferrante
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM-CNR), Via Mario Bianco, 20131 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sola
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM-CNR), Via Mario Bianco, 20131 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cretich
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM-CNR), Via Mario Bianco, 20131 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiari
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università di Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy and INFN Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Marini Bettolo Marconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Sistemi Complessi (ISC-CNR), University La Sapienza, P. le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melchionna