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The droplets emanating from a molecular "nano-tap" would behave very differently than those from a domestic faucet 1 million times larger – researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered. This is a potentially crucial step for a number of emerging nanotechnologies, such as the manufacture of nano-sized drug particles, laboratory-on-chip devices for in-situ diagnostics, and 3D printers capable of resolving nanoscale.
Researchers at the University of Warwick used molecular simulations of liquid jets, looking like a jet of water coming out of a nano-tap, to probe droplet production at the nanoscale. The reduction of scale compared to the domestic jet is equivalent to that of Big Ben reduced to the size of a human hair!
The fracture of the jets has a clbadical theory, conceived by Rayleigh and Plateau in the 19th century, but it proved to be inadequate at the nanoscale, where we can not ignore the inherent jostling of the molecules that produce nano-waves. the limit of the liquid. The new developed theory captures these nano-waves and allows to accurately predict the production of nanodroplets.
This theory predicts that it is easier to produce droplets at the nanoscale than the domestic tap, the nanowaves acting by breaking jets that would be clbadically stable.
Professor Duncan Lockerby of the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick commented:
"Our research aims to develop new knowledge on emerging technologies at the nanoscale, using simulation for design techniques, which illustrates this effort with potential applications in the manufacturing and manufacturing sectors. the health."
Dr. James Sprittles of the Institute of Mathematics at the University of Warwick commented:
"It's great to work on a problem that I teach the clbadical solution to third-year students and develop a new theory updated for nanoscale application"
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Material provided by University of Warwick. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
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