Thermophoresis: moving particles with thermal gradients

Thermophoresis is particle motion induced by thermal gradients. Akin to other nonequilibriumtransport processes such as thermal diffusion in fluid mixtures, it is both experimentally andtheoretically a challenging subject. New insights stemming from careful experimental surveys and strict theoretical models have however shed light on the underlying physical mechanisms, enabling depiction of thermophoresis as a subtle interfacial effect. These recent advancements open up alluring perspectives to exploit thermophoresis as a novel tool in macromolecular fractionation, microfluidic manipulation, and selective tuning of colloidal structures.