Coupling effects in electromechanical ion transport in graphene nanochannels
Yakang Jin, Tiniao Ng, Ran Tao, Shuang Luo, Yan Su, Zhigang Li
Abstract
In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to study the transport of ions in electromechanical flows in slit-like graphene nanochannels. The variation of ionic currents indicates a nonlinear coupling between pressure-driven and electroosmotic flows, which enhances the ionic currents for electromechanical flows compared with the linear superposition of pressure-driven and electroosmotic flows. The nonlinear coupling is attributed to the reduction of the total potential energy barrier due to the density variations of ions and water molecules in the channel. The numerical results may offer molecular insights into the design of nanofluidic devices for energy conversion.
Topics & Concepts
IonSuperposition principleMaterials scienceGrapheneIonic bondingCoupling (piping)Molecular dynamicsChemical physicsWork (physics)Nonlinear systemIon transporterMoleculeNanotechnologyPhysicsChemistryThermodynamicsComputational chemistryComposite materialQuantum mechanicsNanopore and Nanochannel Transport StudiesMembrane-based Ion Separation TechniquesMicrofluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications