Electrokinetically driven peristaltic transport of Jeffrey nanofluid with slip effects and non-uniform zeta potential

This study presents a comprehensive examination of the peristaltic flow of an incompressible Jeffrey nanofluid through an asymmetric, non-uniform porous channel, with a specific focus on the influence of spatially variable (non-uniform) zeta potentials. The model incorporates the effects of zeta potentials, as well as magnetic and electric fields, along with second order slip in momentum and first-order thermal slip boundary conditions, to more accurately account for intricate nanoscale electrokinetic effects and fluid-wall interactions. Using long-wavelength and low-Reynolds-number assumptions, the governing nonlinear equations are reduced and solved semi-analytically by the homotopy perturbation method (HPM). Parametric studies reveal the drastic variation in velocity, temperature, nanoparticle concentration, and trapping effects due to different zeta potentials, Hartmann and Darcy numbers, thermal properties, and slip effects. Interestingly, second-order slip improves near-wall velocity profiles and thermal slip modifies the heat transfer characteristics, whereas variable fluid properties play a vital role in electrokinetic flow behaviour. These results provide important information for the optimisation of biomedical and engineering systems coupled with intricate non-Newtonian nanofluid flows with electromagnetic and boundary slip effects.