NIRT: Carbon Nanopipes for Nanofluidic Devices and In-situ Fluid Studies

该提案是在征求NSF 01-157“纳米科学与工程”下提交的，属于纳米跨学科研究小组（NIRT）类别。 碳纳米管（纳米管）提供了一个独特的机会，在分子和连续行为之间的空间制度的流体传输的基础研究。 这项研究包括：（a）碳纳米管的制造、表征和改性，（B）化学和流体实验的性能，以及（c）允许以受控方式传输和测量各种液体流的实验装置的制造。 流体的致动和成像都是在透射电子显微镜中完成的，并且提供了一个独特的机会来研究在对应于热力学图的亚、近或超临界区域的条件下纳米尺寸通道中流体的行为。 水热生长技术将被优化，以产生所需的管结构和几何形状（内/外径，长度和形状），用于纳入实验装置，允许液体通过纳米管传输。 将研究直径从5到100 nm的通道中的流体行为，既通过以下可视化流体界面对外部热刺激的动态响应，又通过良好控制的实验，其中纯液体和载有大分子的液体将通过管传输。 将研究碳纳米管和水性流体之间的高温相互作用的化学。 纳米管的化学修饰、金属化和开口将使用双极电化学来完成。 实验工作将通过基于并行分子动力学模拟的建模来补充。 据信，拟议的研究将推进新一代纳米流体设备的设计和制造所需的基本理解，如纳米泵，芯片上的化学工厂，生物芯片和纳米分析系统。 研究小组还将协调和扩大现有的教育和推广活动的个别研究人员成为一个有凝聚力的和广泛的计划。 这项工作涉及德雷克塞尔大学、宾夕法尼亚大学和伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校的调查人员。国家科学基金会的支持由工程局的化学和运输系统司和设计、制造和工业创新司以及数学和物理科学局的化学司提供。

The proposal was submitted under Solicitation NSF 01-157 "Nanoscale Science and Engineering," under the Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) category. Carbon nanotubes (nanopipes) offer a unique opportunity for fundamental studies of fluid transport in the spatial regime between molecular and continuum behavior. This research includes: (a) fabrication, characterization, and modification of carbon nanopipes, (b) performance of chemical and fluidic experiments, and (c) fabrication of experimental setups that would allow transport and measurements of various liquid flows in a controlled fashion. Both actuation and imaging of the fluid are done in a transmission electron microscope, and offer a unique opportunity for studying the behavior of fluids in nanosize channels at conditions corresponding to sub-, near- or super-critical regions of the thermodynamic diagram. The hydrothermal growth technique will be optimized to produce desired tube structure and geometry (internal/external diameter, length, and shape) for incorporation into experimental devices that allow the transmission of liquids through nanotubes. Fluid behavior in channels ranging from 5 to 100 nm in diameter will be investigated, both by following the dynamic response of visualized fluid interfaces to external thermal stimuli and by well controlled experiments, in which pure liquids and liquids laden with macromolecules will be transmitted through the tubes. The chemistry of high-temperature interactions between carbon nanopipes and aqueous fluids will be studied. Chemical modification, metallization, and opening of nanopipes will be done using bipolar electrochemistry. The experimental work will be supplemented by modeling based on parallel molecular dynamics simulations. It is believed that the proposed research will advance the fundamental understanding needed for the design and fabrication of a new generation of nanofluidic devices, such as nano-pumps, chemical factories on a chip, biochips, and nano-analytical systems. The research team will also coordinate and expand the existing education and outreach activities of the individual investigators into a cohesive and wide-ranging program. The work involves investigators at Drexel, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. NSF support is being provided by the Chemical and Transport Systems Division and the Design, Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Division in the Engineering Directorate, and by the Chemistry Division in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.