Effects of gas molecules on nanofluidic behaviors.
Most previous studies on nanofluidic motions were focused on liquid-solid interactions, with the important role of gas phase being ignored. Through a molecular dynamics simulation, we show that the gas-liquid interaction can be an indispensable factor in nanoenvironments. Gas molecules in relatively large nanochannels can be dissolved in the liquid during pressure-induced infiltration, leading to the phenomenon of "nonoutflow". By contrast, gas molecules tend to form clusters in relatively small nanochannels, which triggers liquid defiltration at a reduced pressure. The results qualitatively fit with the observations in a high-pressure-resting experiment on nanoporous silica gels.
Qiao
Yu
Y
Department of Structural Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0085, USA.
Cao
Guoxin
G
Chen
Xi
X
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D011312:Pressure; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide