Document 
Eur. Phys. J. E 26, 191-195 (2008)
DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2007-10260-x
Simulation of charge reversal in salty environments: Giant overcharging?
O. Lenz1 and C. Holm1, 21 Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2 Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Mainz, Germany
olenz@fias.uni-frankfurt.de
holm@fias.uni-frankfurt.de
Received 1 November 2007 / Published online 27 February 2008
Abstract
We have performed MD simulations of a highly charged colloid in a solution of 3:1 and additional 1:1 salt. The dependency of the colloid's inverted charge on the concentration of the additional 1:1 salt has been studied. Most theories predict, that the inverted charge increases when the concentration of monovalent salt grows, up to what is called giant overcharging, while experiments and simulational studies observe the opposite. Our simulations agree with the experimental findings and shed light onto the weaknesses of the theories.
PACS64.70.pv - Colloids.
41.20.Cv - Electrostatics; Poisson and Laplace equations, boundary-value problems.
87.10.Tf - Molecular dynamics simulation. Correspondence: olenz@fias.uni-frankfurt.de
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2008