Passive nanofluidic diode using non-uniform nanochannels

In this work, we propose a nanofluidic diode for simple fluids using non-uniform nanochannels. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the fluidic diode allows water flows in the forward direction and blocks flows in the backward direction in a wide range of pressure drops. The unidirectional water flows are owing to the distinct activation pressures in different directions. In the forward (converging) direction, the activation pressure is small because of the relatively low capillary pressure and the water coalescence at the exit. In the backward direction, the activation pressure is high due to the high infiltration pressure. The pressure drop range for the fluidic diode can be varied by modifying the surface wettability, channel height, and/or the tilt angle of the channel. The fluidic diode can be used for flow control in integrated micro-and nanofluidic devices. Published by AIP Publishing.