Temperature-driven flows in nanochannels: Theory and Simulations

Bibliographic Details
Title: Temperature-driven flows in nanochannels: Theory and Simulations
Authors: Anzini, Pietro, Filiberti, Zeno, Parola, Alberto
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: Condensed Matter
Subject Terms: Condensed Matter - Statistical Mechanics
More Details: The motion of a fluid induced by thermal gradients in the absence of driving forces is known as thermo-osmosis. The physical explanation of this phenomenon stems from the emergence of gradients in the tangential pressure due to the presence of a confining surface. The microscopic origin of the effect was recently elucidated in the framework of linear response theory. Here, by use of conservation laws, we provide an explicit solution of the equations governing the fluid flow at stationarity in slab geometry, expressing the thermo-osmotic coefficient as the integrated mass current-heat current correlation function (which vanishes in the bulk). A very simple expression for the pressure gradient in terms of equilibrium properties is also derived. To test the theoretical predictions in a controlled setting, we performed extensive nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations in two dimensions. Few simple models of wall-particle interactions are examined and the resulting pressure drop and velocity profile are compared with the theoretical predictions both in the liquid and in the gas regime.
Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures
Document Type: Working Paper
Access URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2411.07904
Accession Number: edsarx.2411.07904
Database: arXiv
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