bySymmetricTemperatureGradients创新.PDFVIP

week ending PRL 105, 174501 (2010) P H Y S I C A L R E V I E W L E T T E R S 22 OCTOBER 2010 Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Composite Nanochannels as Nanopumps Driven by Symmetric Temperature Gradients Chong Liu and Zhigang Li* Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong (Received 10 May 2010; revised manuscript received 28 June 2010; published 18 October 2010) In this Letter, we propose a composite nanochannel system, where half of the channel is of low surface energy, while the other half has a relatively high surface energy. Molecular dynamics simulations show that fluids in such channels can be continuously driven by a symmetric temperature gradient. In the low surface energy part, the fluid moves from high to low temperature, while the fluid migrates from low to high temperature in the high surface energy part. The mechanisms that govern the flow are explained and the conditions required to guarantee the flow and the possible applications are discussed. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.174501 PACS numbers: 47.61. k Liquid transport in micro- or nanochannels is of great and attractive interactions are strong for high surface importance in many applications, including biomolecule energy. separation, energy conversion, and thermal management The channel wa