Heat transfer at the nanoscale: evaporation of nanodroplets.
We demonstrate using molecular dynamics simulations of the Lennard-Jones fluid that the evaporation process of nanodroplets at the nanoscale is limited by the heat transfer. The temperature is continuous at the liquid-vapor interface if the liquid/vapor density ratio is small (of the order of 10) and discontinuous otherwise. The temperature in the vapor has a scaling form T(r,t)=T[r/R(t)], where R(t) is the radius of an evaporating droplet at time t and r is the distance from its center. Mechanical equilibrium establishes very quickly, and the pressure difference obeys the Laplace law during evaporation.
Hołyst
Robert
R
Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland.holyst@ptys.ichf.edu.pl
Litniewski
Marek
M