Molecular theory and experiment on thermophoresis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25889038
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Fluid engineering
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: TETSURO Tsuji 大阪大学, 基礎工学研究科, 助教 (00708670)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-08-30 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 分子流体力学 / 分子運動論 / 熱泳動 / 界面現象 / マイクロ・ナノ流体デバイス / マイクロスケール可視化計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Micro scale thermophoresis is investigated based on molecular fluid dynamics. The theoretical analysis using the kinetic theory and the numerical analysis by the molecular dynamics simulation are carried out, and the following results are obtained. (1) For a simple model fluid, the Boltzmann-type equation describing the thermophoresis of a target particle is derived. The perturbative analysis of the equation yields the advection-diffusion equation of the macroscopic density of the target particles. (2) For a Lennard-Jones fluid, the effect of interaction between a target particle and solvent particles on the thermophoresis is clarified. In addition, the micro fluidics device that is suitable for the observation of thermophoresis from the direction perpendicular to the thermal gradient is developed. The difference of the responses to the thermal gradient between a polystyrene and a silica bead is observed.

Free Research Field

流体工学