Simulation of concentration polarization in electrokinetic processes by network thermodynamic methods.

Simple techniques of network thermodynamics are used to study the influence of concentration polarization on the determination of electrokinetic properties of physical and biological membrane systems. A network model of the polarization phenomenon resulting from discontinuities in transport numbers between the membrane and their adjacent solutions is proposed. The concentration profiles and potential drop across the membrane in plugs of monodisperse polystyrene particles and in giant algal cells have been simulated using the electrical circuit simulation program SPICE.