Open AccessDirect measurement of the viscoelectric effect in water
Author(s) -
Di Jin,
Yongyun Hwang,
Liraz Chai,
Nir Kampf,
Jacob Klein
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2113690119
Subject(s) - electric field , polar , viscosity , dipole , chemical polarity , chemical physics , liquid water , molecule , materials science , surface water , chemistry , nanotechnology , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental science , thermodynamics , physics , environmental chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , environmental engineering , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Significance The viscosity of polar liquids increases in an electric field because of its interaction with the dipolar molecules. This viscoelectric effect was measured for organic liquids, but for water, the most important polar liquid, where it is crucial in areas from surface potential determination to nanofluidic applications, this is very challenging, and no direct measurements have been carried out to date. Consequently, estimates of its magnitude in water vary by more than a thousandfold. Here, we use a surface force balance to measure the dynamic approach of two molecularly smooth surfaces with a uniform, controlled electric field between them across water; this is modulated by the water viscosity and hence the viscoelectric effect, enabling its magnitude to be directly determined.