Biological and soft-matter physics
Over a Century after Debye and Onsager: What's new about Ions in solution?
Prof. David Andelman
School of Physics, TAU
Abstract
The Poisson-Boltzmann theory, stemming from the pioneering work of Debye and Onsager,
remains the benchmark for ionic solutions and electrified interfaces. It has been instrumental
over the past century in predicting charge distributions and interactions among charged surfaces,
membranes, electrodes, macromolecules, and colloids. After reviewing the Poisson-Boltzmann
theory, I will briefly discuss several extensions and modifications applied to ions and charged
macromolecules. These ideas include the effects of dipolar solvent molecules, finite ion size, ionic
specificity, surface tension, charge regulation, and the conductivity of concentrated ionic
solutions.
remains the benchmark for ionic solutions and electrified interfaces. It has been instrumental
over the past century in predicting charge distributions and interactions among charged surfaces,
membranes, electrodes, macromolecules, and colloids. After reviewing the Poisson-Boltzmann
theory, I will briefly discuss several extensions and modifications applied to ions and charged
macromolecules. These ideas include the effects of dipolar solvent molecules, finite ion size, ionic
specificity, surface tension, charge regulation, and the conductivity of concentrated ionic
solutions.