Nanofluids in confined geometries: understanding and controlling the behaviour

这项研究将进一步加深我们对受限几何结构中纳米流体结构行为的基本理解。包括高分辨率近场显微镜、全内反射显微镜(TIRM)、光学反射仪和原子力显微镜(AFM)在内的最新设备的组合将被用来直接观察受限几何中的纳米颗粒结构和纳米颗粒在封闭壁上的沉积，并测量由约束诱导的纳米颗粒结构产生的结构力。采用最近发展起来的连续、离散和统计相结合的力学方法(CCDS)来模拟纳米颗粒的结构。最终目的是建立受限纳米流体的结构行为与溶液、悬浮纳米颗粒和封闭壁的物理和化学性质之间的关系，从而使工业能够开发基于纳米流体的产品，并预测材料属性和溶液化学如何影响产品的性能。

This research will further our fundamental understanding of the structural behaviour of nanofluids in confined geometries. A combination of the state-of-the-art devices including a high resolution near field microscope, a total internal reflection microscope (TIRM), an optical reflectometry and an atomic force microscope (AFM) will be used to observe directly nanoparticle structuring in the confined geometries and nanoparticle deposition on the confining walls, and to measure the structural force arising from the confinement-induced nanoparticle structuring. The recently developed Combined Continuous, Discrete and Statistic mechanics (CCDS) method will be employed to model the nanoparticle structuring. The ultimate aim is to establish a relationship between the structural behaviour of the confined nanofluids and the physical and chemical properties of the solution, the suspending nanoparticles, and the confining walls, thus enabling industry to formulate nanofluids based products and to predict how the material properties and solution chemistry impact on the performance of the products.