CMInject: Python framework for the numerical simulation of nanoparticle injection pipelines

TL;DR

CMInject is a Python framework designed to simulate nanoparticle injection experiments, focusing on modeling forces like fluid dynamics and light interactions to aid scientific research in nanoparticle manipulation.

Contribution

It introduces a new Python-based simulation framework that models specific forces on nanoparticles, facilitating experimental and theoretical studies in nanoparticle injection pipelines.

Findings

Validated drag-force simulation against experimental data

Implemented models for Brownian motion and photophoretic forces

Provides a flexible tool for nanoparticle injection research

Abstract

CMInject simulates nanoparticle injection experiments of particles with diameters in the micrometer to nanometer-regime, e.g., for single-particle-imaging experiments. Particle-particle interactions and particle-induced changes in the surrounding fields are disregarded, due to low nanoparticle concentration in these experiments. CMInject's focus lies on the correct modeling of different forces on such particles, such as fluid-dynamics or light-induced interactions, to allow for simulations that further the scientific development of nanoparticle injection pipelines. To provide a usable basis for this framework and allow for a variety of experiments to be simulated, we implemented first specific force models: fluid drag forces, Brownian motion, and photophoretic forces. For verification, we benchmarked a drag-force-based simulation against a nanoparticle focusing experiment. We envision its use and further development by experimentalists, theorists, and software developers.