Surface-charge-induced asymmetric electrokinetic transport in confined silicon nanochannels

Molecular dynamics simulations of a NaF solution transport in a confined silicon nanochannel indicated that the water flux and the ionic conductivity through two oppositely charged silicon channels, that are otherwise similar, differ by a factor of more than three, and the co-ion fluxes are in the opposite direction. Such a behavior cannot be predicted by the classical electrokinetic transport theory, and is found to originate from the asymmetric dependence of the transport properties of water near the charged silicon surface. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.