Nanofluidic Behavior at the Fluid-Solid Interface

Abstract

Abstract The confinement and nature of complexity at the fluid-solid interface pose significant challenges for studying the nanofluidic behavior. Here, we report an approach to probe the rheological performance of three media through dynamic interaction with a harmonic oscillator. A prototype device is developed that is able to vibrate in the range up to hundreds of hertz. Results show that the interfacial viscosity was similar to that of its bulk in terms of amplitude and frequency. However, an additional phase lag appeared when the amplitude was small, and its responsive curve exhibited distortion around the natural frequency. Theoretical analysis indicated that this might be due to fluid memory because the fluid response to the solid motion is not instantaneous. The approach reported here has potential to lead toward new ways of studying dynamic properties of fluid-solid interfaces.