Effect of correcting near-wall forces on nanoparticle transport in a microchannel

This paper studies the importance of corrections that account for the presence of walls on the forces acting on nanoparticles during their transport in microchannels. Theoretical and experimental investigations have reported anisotropic and hindered motion of nanoparticles near a microchannel wall. To investigate the influence of the near-wall effects, various conditions were examined. In particular, computer simulations were performed with and without the near-wall correction of forces. The corresponding capture efficiency and the average penetration of the captured nanoparticles were compared, and the importance of the near-wall corrections was assessed. Effects were evaluated for the nanoparticle diameter, the channel width, the channel length, and the pressure gradient. The results indicate that the inclusion of wall effects is crucial for the analysis of nanoparticle transport in microchannels.