What Controls Thermo-osmosis? Molecular Simulations Show the Critical Role of Interfacial Hydrodynamics

Li Fu, Samy Merabia, and Laurent Joly
Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 214501 – Published 20 November 2017
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Abstract

Thermo-osmotic and related thermophoretic phenomena can be found in many situations from biology to colloid science, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we measure the thermo-osmosis coefficient by both mechanocaloric and thermo-osmotic routes, for different solid-liquid interfacial energies. The simulations reveal, in particular, the crucial role of nanoscale interfacial hydrodynamics. For nonwetting surfaces, thermo-osmotic transport is largely amplified by hydrodynamic slip at the interface. For wetting surfaces, the position of the hydrodynamic shear plane plays a key role in determining the amplitude and sign of the thermo-osmosis coefficient. Finally, we measure a giant thermo-osmotic response of the water-graphene interface, which we relate to the very low interfacial friction displayed by this system. These results open new perspectives for the design of efficient functional interfaces for, e.g., waste-heat harvesting.

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  • Received 1 June 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.214501

© 2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsFluid DynamicsPolymers & Soft MatterStatistical Physics & ThermodynamicsAtomic, Molecular & Optical

Authors & Affiliations

Li Fu, Samy Merabia, and Laurent Joly*

  • Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France

  • *laurent.joly@univ-lyon1.fr

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Issue

Vol. 119, Iss. 21 — 24 November 2017

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