Carbon Nanopipes for Nanofluidic Devices and In-situ Fluid Studies NSF NIRT Grant 0210579

The processes that govern fluid transport in pipes are well understood for diameters in the range of micrometers and above. As the diameters diminish (e.g. in the range of a few nanometers), the roles of surface tension and capillarity seem to vary. Thus, the expected promise of carbon nanotubes (CNT, 1-10 nm inner diameter) and nanopipes (CNP, 50-200 nm inner diameter) in technological applications is in urgent need of a well-documented, basic understanding of such forces, especially since no consistent experimental data have been collected until recently. We have investigated the liquid/vapor distribution in nanotubes, the interaction of fluids with the tube walls, and the effect of hydrothermal treatment on the surface chemistry of carbon nanotubes.1,2 On this basis, we are developing a research program that will thoroughly explore the various aspects of phase interfacing in a number of different nanotube situations. Hydrothermal and CVD-grown CNP will be examined. Fluid behavior, chemical modification, and opening of the CNP using bipolar electrochemistry will be investigated. The experimental work will be supplemented by modeling work based on parallel molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, we will design nanotube-based nanofluidic devices, which may find applications in cellular probes, lab-on-a-chip manufacturing, electrochemical cells, and beyond