The dynamic resistance of a sphere with a general inhomogeneous slip boundary condition is analyzed in Newtonian unbounded uniform flow at low Reynolds number. The boundary condition is treated as a perturbation to a homogeneous sphere, assuming that the slip length magnitude $b$ is much smaller than the sphere radius $a$. To first order, the effect of inhomogeneous slip is the same as that of a radial deformity of magnitude $b$. Full resistance tensors are presented and the dynamics of a hemispherical inhomogeneous sphere, such as a Janus particle, are explicitly calculated.

• Received 22 January 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.77.055302