Dielectric response of a dilute suspension of spherical colloidal particles to an oscillating electric field

Abstract

The theory developed by Mangelsdorf and White (C. S. Mangelsdorf and L. R. White, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans., 1992, 88, 3567) to calculate the electrophoretic mobility of a solid, spherical colloidal particle subjected to an oscillating electric field is extended to compute the dielectric response and electrical conductivity of a dilute suspension of spherical colloidal particles in an oscillating electric field. The magnitude and phase of the dipole strength are displayed as functions of zeta potential, frequency, particle size andelectrolyte concentration. The numerical results are compared with the model of De Lacey and White (E. H. B. De Lacey andL. R. White, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 2, 1981, 77, 2007) and the thin double layer theories developed by O'Brien (R. W.O'Brien, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 1986, 113, 81) and Hinch et al. (E. J. Hinch, J. D. Sherwood, W. C. Chew and P. N. Sen, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 2, 1984, 80, 535). A program for calculating the dielectric response and other variable frequency transport properties, is available from the authors.