Complex Fluids with Mobile Charge-Regulated Macro-Ions

Abstract

We generalize the concept of charge regulation of ionic solutions, and apply it to complex fluids with mobile macro-ions having internal non-electrostatic degrees of freedom. The suggested framework provides a convenient tool for investigating systems where mobile macro-ions can self-regulate their charge (e.g., proteins). We show that even within a simplified charge-regulation model, the charge dissociation equilibrium results in different and notable properties. Consequences of the charge regulation include a positional dependence of the effective charge of the macro-ions, a non-monotonic dependence of the effective Debye screening length on the concentration of the monovalent salt, a modification of the electric double-layer structure, and buffering by the macro-ions of the background electrolyte.

7 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Ion-Specific Hydration Effects: Extending the Poisson-Boltzmann Theory
• Charge regulation: a generalized boundary condition?
• Ion Induced Lamellar-Lamellar Phase Transition in Charged Surfactant Systems
• Charge regulation and local dielectric function in planar polyelectrolyte brushes
• Tuning colloid-interface interactions by salt partitioning
• Titratable Macroions in Multivalent Electrolyte Solutions: Strong Coupling Dressed Ion Approach

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Charge Regulation with Fixed and Mobile Charges
• Charge Regulation of Colloidal Particles: Theory and Simulations
• Charge Regulating Macro-ions in Salt Solutions: Screening Properties and Electrostatic Interactions
• Charge regulation of colloidal particles in aqueous solutions
• Critical behavior of charge-regulated macro-ions
• Mean-field theory of active electrolytes: dynamic adsorption and overscreening
• Realisation of the Brazil-nut effect in charged colloids without external driving
• Diffusive dynamics of charge regulated macro-ion solutions