Hydrodynamic properties of carbon nanotubes

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2004 Jun;69(6 Pt 1):062201. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.69.062201. Epub 2004 Jun 4.

Abstract

We study water flowing past an array of single walled carbon nanotubes using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. For carbon nanotubes mounted with a tube spacing of 16.4 x 16.4 nm and diameters of 1.25 and 2.50 nm, respectively, we find drag coefficients in reasonable agreement with the macroscopic, Stokes-Oseen solution. The slip length is -0.11 nm for the 1.25 nm carbon nanotube, and 0.49 for the 2.50 nm tube for a flow speed of 50 m/s, respectively, and 0.28 nm for the 2.50 nm tube at 200 m/s. A slanted flow configuration with a stream- and spanwise velocity component of 100 ms(-1) recovers the two-dimensional results, but exhibits a significant 88 nm slip along the axis of the tube. These results indicate that slip depends on the particular flow configuration.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Microfluidics / methods*
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Motion
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Solutions
  • Surface Properties
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Solutions
  • Water