Nanoscale fluid flows in the vicinity of patterned surfaces

TL;DR

This paper uses molecular dynamics simulations to explore how chemical patterning on nano-surfaces can control fluid flow and droplet behavior at the nanoscale, revealing novel flow switching and lotus effect phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the first detailed simulation study showing flow switching and lotus effect at the nanoscale due to chemical patterning.

Findings

Flow switches from Poiseuille to plug flow in patterned nano-channels.

Nanodrops exhibit lotus effect-like behavior on patterned substrates.

Chemical patterning enables control of nanoscale fluid behavior.

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations of dense and rarefied fluids comprising small chain molecules in chemically patterned nano-channels predict a novel switching from Poiseuille to plug flow along the channel. We also demonstrate behavior akin to the lotus effect for a nanodrop on a chemically patterned substrate. Our results show that one can control and exploit the behavior of fluids at the nanoscale using chemical patterning.