Nanochannel Things

1. Electroosmotic Flow (EOF):

- What it is: Electroosmotic flow is a type of fluid flow that occurs when an electric field is applied to a liquid inside a small channel or tube.

- How it works: When the electric field is applied, it causes ions (charged particles) in the liquid to move. These moving ions drag the liquid along with them, causing the liquid to flow through the channel.

2. Electrical Double Layer (EDL):

- What it is: The electrical double layer is a structure that forms at the interface between a solid surface and a liquid containing dissolved ions.

- How it works: When a solid surface (like the wall of a microtube) comes into contact with a liquid, it often gains a negative charge. This charge attracts positive ions in the liquid, creating a thin layer of positive ions near the surface. This layer is balanced by a diffuse layer of negative ions, forming the electrical double layer.

3. Nano/Microfluidic Devices:

- What they are: Nano and microfluidic devices are tiny systems designed to handle very small amounts of fluids, often on the scale of micrometers (millionths of a meter) or nanometers (billionths of a meter).

- How they work: These devices use tiny channels and chambers to control and manipulate fluids for various applications, such as chemical analysis, biological testing, or drug delivery. They rely on different mechanisms, including electroosmotic flow, to move fluids without using traditional pumps with moving parts.

4. Charge Distribution in Nanofluidic Devices:

- What it is: Charge distribution refers to how electric charges (ions) are spread out within the fluid in a nanofluidic device.

- How it works: In nanofluidic devices, the extremely small channels can significantly influence how ions are distributed. The walls of these channels often have charges that attract opposite ions from the fluid, creating a non-uniform distribution of charges. This distribution can affect how fluids flow and interact within the device.