Langmuir, Vol.33, No.19, 4781-4788, 2017
Frequency-Dependent Solvent Impedance and Colloid Microelectrophoresis Measurements in Partially Polar Solvents
We carry out frequency-dependent solvent impedance measurements and alternating current (ac) colloid microelectrophoresis experiments in partially polar solvents in the low-frequency regime (0.25 Hz <= f <= 10 Hz). Solvent electrode polarization effects are quantified first in partially polar solvent mixtures containing bromocyclohexane (CHB). We find that the polarization capacitance from electrode polarization exhibits a clear power law behavior C-p = C-p0 f(-m) with power law exponent m = 0.25 +/- 0.04. Once we account for electrode polarization effects, we are able to obtain quantitative mobilities in the low-frequency regime from our ac microelectrophoresis measurements; for these measurements, we use poly(methyl methacrylate colloids that are gravitationally confined to a plane while suspended in a low-polar solvent mixture of cis-trans decahydronapthalene and CHB. We find that the dimensionless electrophoretic mobility is constant, consistent with expectations for frequencies below the ion-diffusion frequency, and has a value E = 1.6 +/- 0.4.