© 2004 Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Ralph C. Merkle. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Ralph C. Merkle, Kinematic Self-Replicating Machines, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 2004.

B.4.3 Piston Fluid Flow Dynamics

A nanoscale piston being driven through viscous fluid experiences two kinds of effects. First, it feels the resistance to flow associated with bulk fluid flows (Section B.4.3.1). Second, it encounters wall-effect forces that are unique to the nanoscale (Section B.4.3.2). Section B.4.3.3 includes some further brief discussion of piston interactions with physisorbed solvent molecules at the wall-fluid interface.

Last updated on 1 August 2005