Microfluidic osmotic compression of a charge-stabilized colloidal dispersion: Equation of state and collective diffusion coefficient

Phys Rev E. 2021 Dec;104(6):L062601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.104.L062601.

Abstract

We show, using a model coupling mass transport and liquid theory calculations for a charge-stabilized colloidal dispersion, that diffusion significantly limits measurement times of its equation of state (EOS), osmotic pressure vs composition, using the osmotic compression technique. Following this result, we present a microfluidic chip allowing one to measure the entire EOS of a charged dispersion at the nanoliter scale in a few hours. We also show that time-resolved analyses of relaxation to equilibrium in this microfluidic experiment lead to direct estimates of the collective diffusion coefficient of the dispersion in Donnan equilibrium with a salt reservoir.