Capillary filling in closed-end nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper develops a dynamic model for capillary filling in closed-end nanotubes, accounting for gas escape, and compares it with previous models to better understand filling dynamics at the nanoscale.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new dynamic model incorporating diffusion, convection, and gas dissolution for capillary filling in closed-end nanotubes, improving upon previous simplified models.

Findings

The model accurately predicts filling dynamics under various conditions.

Gas escape significantly affects filling times and profiles.

Comparison shows the new model's improved accuracy over previous assumptions.

Abstract

Capillary filling in small length scale is an important process in nanotechnology and microfabrication. When one end of the tube or channel is sealed, it is important to consider the escape of the trapped gas. We develop a dynamic model on capillary filling in closed-end tubes, based on the diffusion-convection equation and Henry's law of gas dissolution. We systematically investigate the filling dynamics for various sets of parameters, and compare the results with a previous model which assumes a linear density profile of dissolved gas and neglect the convective term.