Application of electrostatically actuated carbon nanotubes in nanofluidic and bio-nanofluidic sensors and actuators

The paper investigates the effects of fluid flow on the static and dynamic behaviors of electrostatically actuated carbon nanotubes using nonlocal elasticity theory. The influences of various parameters of fluid flow including fluid viscosity, velocity, mass and temperature on the mechanical behaviors of the carbon nanotubes under static and step DC voltages are studied using this theory. The results computed from the nonlocal elasticity theory are compared with those estimated using the classical elasticity theorem and the outcomes demonstrate the applicability of the electrostatically actuated carbon nanotubes as nano sensors and nano actuators in nanofluidic systems. The nanosystem can be potentially applied in precise nanoscale drug delivery as well as other bio-nanofluidic processes. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.