Influences of streaming potential on cross stream migration of flexiblepolymer molecules in nanochannel flows

摘要

We execute augmented Brownian dynamics (BD) simulation studies to show that the migration offlexible polyelectrolyte chains through nanochannels may be strongly governed by a complicatedinterplay between the electroviscous effects, near-wall interaction mechanisms, and diffusophoretictransport due to thermal gradients prevailing in the system. We further illustrate that in presence ofmutually opposing pressure-driven and electro-osmotic transport and with an optimal choice of theratio of the strength of these two flow fields, the electroviscous effects may turn out to be immenselyconsequential in strengthening the effective confinement of the polyelectrolyte. This, in turn maypermit in achieving important biophysical feats that are otherwise obtainable only throughsignificantly reduced nanochannel dimensions.