ABSTRACT
In this paper, we investigate electroconvective ion transport at cation exchange membranes with different geometry square-wave structures (line undulations) experimentally and numerically. Electroconvective microvortices are induced by strong concentration polarization once a threshold potential difference is applied. The applied potential required to start and sustain electroconvection is strongly affected by the geometry of the membrane. A reduction in the resistance of approximately 50% can be obtained when the structure size is similar to the mixing layer (ML) thickness, resulting in confined vortices with less lateral motion compared to the case of flat membranes. From electrical, flow, and concentration measurements, ion migration, advection, and diffusion are quantified, respectively. Advection and migration are dominant in the vortex ML, whereas diffusion and migration are dominant in the stagnant diffusion layer. Numerical simulations, based on Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Navier-Stokes equations, show similar ion transport and flow characteristics, highlighting the importance of membrane topology on the resulting electrokinetic and electrohydrodynamic behavior.
ABSTRACT
An aqueous electrohydrodynamic (EHD) floating liquid bridge is a unique environment for studying the influence of protonic currents (mA cm-2) in strong DC electric fields (kV cm-1) on the behavior of microorganisms. It forms in between two beakers filled with water when high-voltage is applied to these beakers. We recently discovered that exposure to this bridge has a stimulating effect on Escherichia coli.. In this work we show that the survival is due to a natural Faraday cage effect of the cell wall of these microorganisms using a simple 2D model. We further confirm this hypothesis by measuring and simulating the behavior of Bacillus subtilis subtilis, Neochloris oleoabundans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and THP-1 monocytes. Their behavior matches the predictions of the model: cells without a natural Faraday cage like algae and monocytes are mostly killed and weakened, whereas yeast and Bacillus subtilis subtilis survive. The effect of the natural Faraday cage is twofold: First, it diverts the current from passing through the cell (and thereby killing it); secondly, because it is protonic it maintains the osmotic pressure in the cell wall, thereby mitigating cytolysis which would normally occur due to the low osmotic pressure of the surrounding medium. The method presented provides the basis for selective disinfection of solutions containing different microorganisms.
ABSTRACT
We investigate the coupled dynamics of the local hydrodynamics and global electric response of an electrodialysis system, which consists of an electrolyte solution adjacent to a charge selective membrane under electric forcing. Under a dc electric current, counterions transport through the charged membrane while the passage of co-ions is restricted, thereby developing ion concentration polarization (ICP) or gradients. At sufficiently large currents, simultaneous measurements of voltage drop and flow field reveal several distinct dynamic regimes. Initially, the electrodialysis system displays a steady Ohmic voltage difference (ΔV_{ohm}), followed by a constant voltage jump (ΔV_{c}). Immediately after this voltage increase, microvortices set in and grow both in size and speed with time. After this growth, the resultant voltage levels off around a fixed value. The average vortex size and speed stabilize as well, while the individual vortices become unsteady and dynamic. These quantitative results reveal that microvortices set in with an excess voltage drop (above ΔV_{ohm}+ΔV_{c}) and sustain an approximately constant electrical conductivity, destroying the initial ICP with significantly low viscous dissipation.
