Nanofluidics studies fluid movement over small distances, where physical properties change. Researchers can control fluid activity in nanotechnology applications, and manipulate molecules to prevent blockages. Photolithography can fabricate structures for digital systems, transistors, and medical diagnostic systems. Nanofluidics can also be used for water filtration and energy storage systems.
Nanofluidics is the scientific study of the movement of fluids over very small distances. Fluids can flow through microscopic tubes or pores that can become clogged if large molecules also get in the way. The distance by which the charges of the electrons are separated, called the Debye length, can be similar to the size of such a small tube. When confined to small spaces a few nanometers wide, therefore, the physical properties of most fluids change. Scientific advances have allowed researchers to control the activity of fluids in structures such as carbon nanotubes and even to build microscopic devices in nanotechnology applications.
When they electrify a nanoscale surface, researchers can create an electrical double layer in a small hole or passage. The layer can extend across the width of this space, which typically changes the properties of a fluid relative to how it acts in larger volumes. Charged particles called ions are sometimes used to control the direction of a liquid, especially when the charge of the particles is opposite to that of the pore wall.
Another property studied in nanofluidics is the hydrodynamic radius, which typically characterizes the interaction of large molecules or polymers in relation to the nanoscale properties of a liquid solution. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a relatively large molecule that carries genetic information and is often manipulated in biology. Along with large polymers, it can roll into a shape that can block a small channel. Researchers sometimes add materials and coatings to nanofluidic structures that can prevent such blockages.
Nanofluidics researchers can also control membrane thicknesses as well as pore size and spacing, especially in aluminum. Temperature, voltage, and the application of acid over certain periods of time generally help process specific materials. Scientists can then use them to study how the different fluids inside react. Liquid properties such as velocity, surface tension, and the angle at which a fluid tends to contact a nanoscale surface are often studied.
A printing technique called photolithography can be used to fabricate structures used in nanofluidics. Individual channels or arrays thereof may be formed from silicon, polymers, glass and other man-made tubular materials. Scientists can use the properties of a fluid to control its movement, in a way that supports a type of switching for digital systems. Nanofluidics is also being applied to the construction of small transistors, optical arrays and microchip-based medical diagnostic systems. Liquid interaction in nanofluidic loops can be incorporated into controls for water filtration and energy storage systems.
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