Pumping of electrolytes using travelling-wave electro-osmosis: a weakly nonlinear analysis

Abstract

The interaction between ac electric fields and the induced charge in the double layer formed on top of electrodes generates steady motion of aqueous solutions. This phenomenon is termed ac electro-osmosis. Unidirectional fluid motion is obtained when the electrolyte is placed on top of an array of microelectrodes subjected to a travelling-wave potential. In this work, we analyse the generated fluid motion assuming that the electrodes are perfectly polarisable and making use of the nonlinear Gouy–Chapman model for the diffuse double layer. We approximate the applied potential at the level of the electrodes by a single-mode travelling wave. We present numerical and analytical solutions obtained in the weakly nonlinear regime and the results are discussed and related with previous experimental observations.