The electrophoretic mobility of an uncharged particle.

Highlights: [•] We test recent proposals that an uncharged particle can have a non-zero electrophoretic mobility. [•] We show that a steady mobility is impossible because of charge polarisation at the interface. [•] Although motion is possible in an ac field, we show that the uncharged theory does not fit experimental data. [•] Thus the uncharged mobility hypothesis cannot account for standard electrophoresis observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]