Tuesday, 25 December 2012

Electro-Osmosis - An Electro Kinetic Phenomenon

Electro-Osmosis

Electroosmosis was first observed by a Russian scientist F.F. Reuss in 1809.

1) We know that a COLLOID is a substance which is microscopically dispersed (widely spread) evenly throughout another substance.

2) The Colloidal particles form Dispersed phase and the medium used for this is called as Dispersion medium.

3) Also we all know that Electrophoresis is a phenomenon in which the colloidal particles move under the influence of an electric field.

4) But,Suppose if it happens that, the colloidal particles are not allowed to move under the influence of an electric field, then What Will Happen...?

Nothing but.....
The dispersion medium itself will begin to move under the influence of the electric field.

5) This movement of the dispersion medium under the influence of an electric field is called as "Electroosmosis" .

6) The pressure required to counter the Electro osmotic flow is called as Electroosmotic pressure.

7) To study the Phenomenon of Electroosmosis consider the experimental setup as shown in the figure below:-



8) The colloidal solution(sol) is taken in X-compartment whereas the Y and Z compartments are filled with Dispersed medium,here water is taken as dispersion medium

9) The X compartment is seperated from Y and Z compartments by a semipermeable membrane or a porous partition.

10) A positive and a negative  electrode is immersed in the Y and Z compartments as shown in the figure.

11) When a potential is applied at the electrodes the dispersion medium will move from one side to other which can be observed on the basis of the movement of the boundries in the side tubes.

12) The direction of the movement of dispersion medium will be opposite to the direction of flow of the colloidal particles ,i.e., if colloidal particles are positively charged then the dispersion medium moves towards the negative electrode and vice versa.

13) The Zeta Potential developed due to electroosmosis is given by :-
                          
                                     PÏ€r2 /2DE
Where,
P = Electroosmotic pressure in N/m2
r = radius of side tube in cm
E = Potential applied
D = Dielectric constant of medium

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