纳米通道内混合气体流动的分子动力学模拟

采用非平衡分子动力学方法, 模拟了混合气体在纳米通道中的Poiseuille流动. 结果显示气体混合物的化学成分与物理结构不再均匀一致, 随着亲水性气体粒子的减少, 亲水性粒子逐渐被吸附于壁面, 而疏水性粒子主要分布于通道中间. 当亲水性粒子为10%时, 混合气体在壁面处形成有序的“类固体”. 在本文的模拟条件下, 流体速度分布显示混合气体流动速度随着疏水性粒子比例的增加而升高; 同时, 混合气体滑移速度也从负滑移速度逐渐转变为正滑移速度.     

固液界面纳米气泡的研究进展

根据经典热力学理论,在水中纳米级的气泡难以长期稳定存在.近年来却有大量的实验结果表明固液界面存在纳米气泡,原子力显微镜也直接观察到了纳米气泡.有关纳米气泡的研究具有巨大的理论和实际意义,它对表面科学、流体动力学、生物科学以及一些应用领域都有深远的影响.纳米气泡会引起流体在界面的滑移,减少流动阻力,并与表面粘附、胶体分散、矿石浮选、废渣处理等方面密切相关.目前关于纳米气泡的研究才刚刚开始,对于它的基本物化性质的了解还不多,但其重要性已经引起相关领域的极大关注.本文综述了从提出纳米气泡存在一直到实验证明的过程、纳米气泡的形成机制和形貌、分布特征等基本性质以及纳米气泡的存在对疏水长程作用和流体滑移的影响,并阐述了生物学中一些与纳米气泡存在有关的问题.     

耗散粒子动力学和纳维边界条件在微米纳米流体力学模拟中的应用

耗散粒子动力学是一种粗粒化的计算模拟方法,在微米和纳米流体力学中有着广泛的应用.由于界面在微小体积流体中的重要性,边界条件的选取在微米和纳米流体的研究中起到了关键性的作用.我们简单地介绍了耗散粒子动力学的模拟方法,并以此为基础,介绍了能够实现纳维边界条件的可调滑移长度的边界条件模拟方法.通过条纹状图案修饰的超疏水表面的流体力学行为研究,和高分子链在微米纳米流体器件中的运动研究2个例子,耗散粒子动力学结合纳维边界条件的模拟方法的实用性和可靠性得到了证实.     

简易制备高整流比的异质纳米通道

生命体内的离子通道在各种生物功能调节过程及生命活动中具有重要的意义.模仿生物孔道的离子输运性质,构筑人工纳米通道,并研究人工纳米通道的离子输运性质是一项具有重大意义的研究课题.本文通过双面阳极氧化和原位扩孔结合的方法制备了对称结构的沙漏形氧化铝纳米通道.通过在对称结构的沙漏形氧化铝（AAO）纳米通道一侧粘贴一层透明胶带,经过热处理后,获得了一种具有高整流比的有机-无机异质纳米通道.基于非对称的结构和电荷分布,氧化铝纳米通道与有机纳米通道在复合区域形成异质结构.由于多孔AAO纳米通道和有机纳米通道的协同效应,异质纳米通道表现出独特的纳米流体二极管特性,即在比较宽的pH范围内具有单一的整流方向.在该体系中,氧化铝纳米通道内壁的羟基和有机纳米通道内壁的羧基在不同pH值下所带电荷性质不同,使异质结构纳米通道内壁表面电荷的性质和电荷密度发生改变,可以通过调节体系的pH来调控通道内的离子传输.     

层层自组装修饰磁性纳米粒子及蛋白质吸附研究

采用层层自组装技术将聚天冬胺酸和聚乙二胺修饰到磁性纳米粒子表面上, 并研究了修饰后的磁性纳米粒子的zeta电势变化和对蛋白质的吸附. 先通过化学共沉淀的方法获得了四氧化三铁磁性纳米粒子, 然后利用层层自组装的方法对纳米粒子进行了修饰. 用TEM表征了纳米粒子的尺寸. 用红外光谱表征了修饰过程中磁性纳米粒子表面组成的变化情况. 研究了修饰过程对磁性纳米粒子的zeta电势的影响. zeta电势的正负和大小与表面连接的分子的带电性质有关. 磁性纳米粒子的等电点接近中性. 聚天冬胺酸修饰的磁性纳米粒子的Zeta电势为负值. 在聚乙二胺溶液的pH＝11时获得的双层修饰的磁性粒子的等电点接近9, 并且等电点随聚乙二胺溶液的pH的减小而减小. 结果也表明在pH＝7.4时具有不同表面电荷的磁性纳米粒子通过静电作用选择性地吸附蛋白质.     

无溶剂Fe3O4纳米流体的制备及表征

采用共沉淀法合成Fe3O4纳米粒子, 将含有硅氧烷基的离子型改性剂二甲基十八烷基氯化铵与Fe3O4纳米粒子进行接枝反应, 再用脂肪醇聚氧乙烯醚磺酸盐的长链阴离子交换Cl-, 在Fe3O4纳米粒子表面生成具有阴、 阳离子双电层结构的表面处理层, 得到无溶剂Fe3O4纳米流体. 研究结果表明, 在Fe3O4纳米粒子表面成功接枝了有机物长链, 改性的Fe3O4纳米粒子呈单分散分布, 其损耗剪切模量G″明显大于储能剪切模量G', 具有明显的流体行为, 在室温下即可流动.     

各向异性金纳米粒子的制备及其在催化中的应用

尽管有关金纳米粒子催化的研究工作很多,但其中大多数都是采用传统的浸渍法将金盐负载到载体上、共沉淀或沉积-沉淀法制得负载的纳米粒子,但这些方法并未吸收最新的纳米技术。最近,金催化剂的研究者开发了在胶态悬浮液中制取金属纳米粒子,然后进行固载,从而使得单金属和双金属催化剂的催化活性和形貌控制取得较大进展。另一方面,最近十年出现了金纳米粒子合成的高级控制技术,得到了许多各向异性的金纳米粒子,且很容易制得新的形貌,可以控制纳米粒子的表面原子配位数和光学特性(可调的等离子体带),这些都与催化密切相关。这些形貌包括纳米棒、纳米星、纳米花、树枝状纳米结构或多面体纳米粒子等。除了高度关注各向异性金纳米粒子的最新开发的制备方法和性质,本综述也清楚地总结了这些纳米粒子独特的催化性能,以及通过提供更高催化性能的金催化剂、控制暴露的活性位,以及热、电和光催化的鲁棒性和可调性,从而给多相催化领域带来令人惊奇的潜在变革。     

Chitosan/Fe3O4/SiO2复合纳米粒子的制备及催化特性研究

功能型复合纳米材料的设计与合成具有重要的意义.基于反相微乳液法,合成了Chitosan/Fe3O4/SiO2复合纳米粒子,并应用TEM、磁滞回线、SEM能谱、XRD和zeta电位等方法表征了复合纳米粒子.此外,还研究了复合纳米粒子的电化学发光催化特性,研究结果显示:包埋于SiO2壳层中的Fe3O4可基于复合于其中的Chitosan凝胶所提供的纳米通道,而展现出一定的催化过氧化氢氧化鲁米诺的特性.     

高活性纳米流体的原位流度控制及驱油效率研究

由于纳米流体的界面效应、小尺度特征,在提高采收率领域具有较大应用潜力,但其驱油机理尚待进一步明确.为了进一步研究纳米流体的驱油机理和驱油效率,采用硅基纳米球与表面活性剂耦合的方式研发高活性纳米流体,借助静态宏-介-微观实验和岩心物理模拟,阐明高活性纳米流体形成乳状液的流度控制和介观驱油效率.实验结果表明,高活性纳米流体...     

Ag/SiO2/Chitosan复合纳米粒子的合成及对六价铬吸附的分析应用

基于反相微乳液纳米粒子合成方法制备了Ag/SiO2/Chitosan(壳聚糖)复合纳米粒子. 采用透射电子显微镜、 电化学方法和紫外-可见吸收光谱表征了复合纳米粒子的性质. 结果表明, 该复合纳米粒子具有导电性、 阴离子通道效应和对六价铬的吸附效应. 与修饰电极化学发光方法相结合, 建立了一种测定六价铬的新方法. 在最佳实验条件下, 增敏电化学发光信号强度与六价铬的浓度在2.0×10-12 ~1.0×10-10 g/mL范围内呈线性关系, 对六价铬的检出限为2×10-13 g/mL.     

Electrokinetic transport through nanochannels

This article presents a numerical study of the electrokinetic transport phenomena (electroosmosis and electrophoresis) in a three-dimensional nanochannel with a circular cross-section. Due to the nanometer dimensions, the Boltzmann distribution of the ions is not valid in the nanochannels. Therefore, the conventional theories of electrokinetic flow through the microchannels such as Poisson-Boltzmann equation and Helmholtz-Smoluchowski slip velocity approach are no longer applicable. In the current study, a set of coupled partial differential equations including Poisson-Nernst-Plank equation, Navier-Stokes, and continuity equations is solved to find the electric potential field, ionic concentration field, and the velocity field in the three-dimensional nanochannel. The effects of surface electric charge and the radius of nanochannel on the electric potential, liquid flow, and ionic transport are investigated. Unlike the microchannels, the electric potential field, ionic concentration field, and velocity field are strongly size-dependent in nanochannels. The electric potential gradient along the nanochannel also depends on the surface electric charge of the nanochannel. More counter ions than the coions are transported through the nanochannel. The ionic concentration enrichment at the entrance and the exit of the nanochannel is completely evident from the simulation results. The study also shows that the flow velocity in the nanochannel is higher when the surface electric charge is stronger or the radius of the nanochannel is larger.     

Interactions between two bubbles on a hot or cold wall

A temperature gradient normal to a planar wall produces two-dimensional motion and aggregation or separation of bubbles on the hot or cold wall, respectively. The origin of the motion is fluid convection driven by the thermal Marangoni stress on the surface of the bubbles. Previous theories for the dynamics of two or more bubbles have been based on an analysis of flow about a single bubble and the resulting convection that entrains its neighbors. Here we extend the theory by solving the quasi-steady equations for the temperature and velocity fields for two bubbles. The result is a quantitative model for the relative velocity between two bubbles as a function of both the distance between them and the gap between each bubble and the surface. Interactions between the bubbles strongly increase the approach velocity, which is counter-intuitive because the hydrodynamic resistance increases as the bubbles approach each other. An asymptotic analysis indicates the thermocapillary force bringing them together or pushing them apart is singular in the separation when the bubbles are close to each other. The two-bubble theory agrees reasonably well with the experimentally measured velocities of pairs of bubbles on hot or cold surfaces, though it slightly overestimates the velocities.     

Pressure-driven flow control system for nanofluidic chemical process

We developed a novel flow control system for a nanofluidic chemical process. Generally, flow control in nanochannels is difficult because of its high-pressure loss with very small volume flow rate. In our flow control method, liquid pressure in a microchannel connected to the nanochannels is regulated by utilizing a backpressure regulator. The flow control method was verified by using simple structured microchip, which included parallel nanochannels. We found that the observed flow rate was three times lower than the value expected from Hagen-Poiseuille's equation. That implied a size-dependent viscosity change in the nanochannels. Then, we demonstrated mixing of two different fluorescent solutions in a Y-shaped nanochannel and also a proton exchange reaction in the Y-shaped nanochannel. The flow control method will contribute to further integration of nanochemical systems.     

Hybrid continuum-atomistic approach to model electrokinetics in nanofluidics

In this study, for the first time, a hybrid continuum-atomistic based model is proposed for electrokinetics, electroosmosis and electrophoresis, through nanochannels. Although continuum based methods are accurate enough to model fluid flow and electric potential in nanofluidics (in dimensions larger than 4 nm), ionic concentration is too low in nanochannels for the continuum assumption to be valid. On the other hand, the non-continuum based approaches are too time-consuming and therefore is limited to simple geometries, in practice. Here, to propose an efficient hybrid continuum-atomistic method of modelling the electrokinetics in nanochannels; the fluid flow and electric potential are computed based on continuum hypothesis coupled with an atomistic Lagrangian approach for the ionic transport. The results of the model are compared to and validated by the results of the molecular dynamics technique for a couple of case studies. Then, the influences of bulk ionic concentration, external electric field, size of nanochannel, and surface electric charge on the electrokinetic flow and ionic mass transfer are investigated, carefully. The hybrid continuum-atomistic method is a promising approach to model more complicated geometries and investigate more details of the electrokinetics in nanofluidics.     

Simultaneous measurements of the flow velocities in a microchannel by wide/evanescent field illuminations with particle/single molecules

A laser-induced fluorescence imaging method was developed to simultaneously measure flow velocities in the middle and near wall of a channel with particles or single molecules, by selectively switching from the wide field excitation mode to the evanescent wave excitation mode. Fluorescent microbeads with a diameter of 175 nm were used to calibrate the system, and the collisions of microbeads with channel walls were directly observed. The 175 nm microbeads velocities in the main flow and at 275 nm from the bottom of the channel were measured. The measured velocities of particles or single molecules in two positions in a microchannel were consistent with the calculated value based on Poiseuille flow theory when the diameter of a microbead was considered. The errors caused by Brownian diffusion in our measurement were negligible compared to the flow velocity. Single lambda DNA molecules were then used as a flowing tracer to measure the velocities. The velocity can be obtained at a distance of 309.0 +/- 82.6 nm away from bottom surface of the channel. The technique may be potentially useful for studying molecular transportation both in the center and at the bottom of the channel, and interactions between molecules and microchannel surfaces. It is especially important that the technique can be permitted to measure both velocities in the same experiment to eliminate possible experimental inconsistencies.     

Electrohydrodynamic Velocity and Pumping Measurements in Water and Alcohols

Bubble and particle velocities in water and alcohols, under the influence of an electric field, were investigated in this work. Air bubbles were injected into the liquids through an electrified metal capillary insulated by glass with its tip left exposed. The end of the capillary from which the bubbles were released was conical in shape. Due to an electric field formed between the noninsulated capillary tip and a ground electrode immersed in the solvent, small bubbles were formed and used as tracers for the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow field. The pressure inside the capillary was measured for all liquids used in this study. For water, ethanol, and n-propanol, it was found that, at relatively low applied voltage, the pressure increases with voltage, reaches a maximum (pressure breakpoint), and then sharply decreases. This behavior is a result of the competition between the electric force appearing at the interface and the force due to the EHD flow near the capillary tip. The electric force tends to increase the pressure inside the capillary, while the EHD flow tends to decrease this pressure. For isopropanol and butanol, the pressure breakpoint was not observed in the range of voltage applied in the experiments. The EHD flow velocity was measured by using microbubbles and particles as flow tracers. An adaptive phase-Doppler velocimeter was employed to measure the velocity of bubbles, while the velocity of particles was measured by trajectory visualization of fluorescent particles. A discrepancy was observed between the two methods because of the location at which the measurements were made. It was found that average velocities of both bubbles and particles increase linearly with applied voltage. Experiments were also conducted to investigate pumping of water, which is a result of the EHD velocity near the capillary tip. The pumping flow rate was linearly related to the applied voltage and agreed well with EHD velocity measurements obtained from particle trajectories. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

A nanochannel array based device for determination of the isoelectric point of confined proteins

A nanochannel array based nanodevice can mimic the biological environments and thus unveil the natural properties, conformation and recognition information of biomolecules such as proteins and DNA in confined spaces. Here we report that porous anodic alumina (PAA) of a highly parallel nanochannel array covalently modified with proteins significantly modulates the transport of a negatively charged probe of ferricyanide due to the electrostatic interactions between the probes and modified nanochannel inner surface. Results show that such electrostatic interaction exists in a wide range of ionic strength from 1 mM to 100 mM in 20 nm nanochannels modified with proteins (hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin, and goat anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibody). In addition, the maximal steady-state flux of the charged probe through the modified nanochannel array is directly related to the ionic strength which determines the electric double layer thickness and solution pH which modulates the nanochannel surface charge. Thus, the modulated mass transport of the probe by solution pH can be used to study the charge properties of the immobilized proteins in nanochannel confined conditions, leading us to obtain the isoelectric point (pI) of the proteins confined in nanochannels. The determined pI values of two known proteins of hemoglobin and bovine serum albumin are close to the ones of the same proteins covalently modified on a 3-mercaptopropionic acid self-assembled monolayer/gold electrode. In addition, the pI of an unknown protein of goat anti-rabbit IgG secondary antibody confined in nanochannels was determined to be 6.3. Finally, the confinement effect of nanochannels on the charge properties of immobilized proteins has been discussed.     

Understanding flow enhancement in graphene‐coated nanochannels

In this work, we investigate pressure‐driven water flows in graphene‐coated copper nanochannels through molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that the flow rate in bare copper nanochannel can be significantly enhanced by a factor of 45 when the nanochannel is coated with monolayer graphene. The enhancement factor for the flow rate reaches about 90 when the nanochannel is modified with 3 or more graphene layers. The dipole relaxation time and the hydrogen bond lifetime of interfacial water molecules show that the graphene coating promotes the mobility of water molecules at the interface. The distribution of the potential of mean force and the free energy barriers also confirm that graphene coating reduces the flow resistance and 3 layers of graphene can fully screen the surface effects. The results in this work provide important information for the design of graphene‐based nanofluidic systems for flow enhancement.     

Longitudinal and volume viscosities of fluids confined in nanochannel

Longitudinal and volume viscosities of Lennard-Jones fluid, argon–krypton binary mixture and isotopic fluid mixture confined to nanochannels of different widths are calculated by employing theoretical technique based on Green–Kubo formula. A significant enhancement is observed in longitudinal and volume viscosities when width of the nanochannel is less than 10 nm. Effect of mass ratio of two species on longitudinal and volume viscosities is also studied for equimolar isotopic fluid mixture. It is found that enhancement in viscosity is more for larger mass ratios. It is also noted that enhancement in longitudinal and shear viscosities is more than volume viscosity.