Like-charged particles at a liquid liquid interface

by Tom Kodger

Reference

M.G. Nikolaides, A.R. Bausch, M.F. Hsu, A.D. Dinsmore, M.P. Brenner, C. Gay, D.A. Weitz and M. Megens, J. Aizenberg Nature Communications 424, August (2003);

Keywords

Dipole, Electrostatics in oil, Interface distortion

Abstract

This communication discusses a simple enigmatic attraction at an oil-water interface between like charged particles. The original paper (Nature 420, 299-310, 2002) claims that a distortion of the interface due to a diploar electric field induces a long range capillary attraction. Megens and Aizenberg claims= that this cannot be so due to a fundamental force balance. In this communcation, these authors claim that the range of the capillary distortion is only short ranged and insignifanct (10^-5 kT). The original authors then respond by acknowledging that their original response was not complete but defend their original approach of a capillary distortion. This is true when but only when the free charge density of the oil is accounted for, thus a large dipole imbalance can be created.

Capillarity In Action

The original paper claims an attactive potential of, $\,\! \sin x + \ln y$