Ultrafast Transport in Nanotubes and Nanosheets

Abstract

One of the most fascinating properties of nanotubes (NTs) and nanosheets is their smooth surfaces that oer essentially resistance-free transport of small molecules in the form of gases, vapors, and liquids. For example, it has been shown on multiple occasions that the transport through a NT is faster than if there were no material there at all. is super transport can be visualized by holding a garden hose but delivering as much water as a re hose 10 times its size. is oers innumerable opportunities in applications such as ecient desalination, carbon capture, drug delivery, and energy delivery that require fast transport of small molecules (see Figure 11.1). e research journey so far has included alternating steps in theoretical predictions and11.1 Introduction 271 11.2 Experimental Platforms for Measuring Transport in Carbon Nanotube CompositeMembranes 273 11.3 Ultrafast Gas Transport in Nanotubes 27411.3.1 Molecular Simulation of Ultrafast Gas Transport 274 11.3.2 Transport Regimes for Ultrafast Gas Transport 278 11.3.3 Experimental Verication of Ultrafast Gas Transport 28211.4 Ultrafast Water Transport in Nanotubes 285 11.4.1 Molecular Simulation of Ultrafast Water Transport 286 11.4.2 Continuum Models for Ultrafast Water Transport 290 11.4.3 Experimental Verication of Ultrafast Water Transport 29211.5 Ultrafast Gas and Water Transport in Nanosheets 295 11.6 Conclusions 300 References 300experimental verication but has yet translated to industrial-scale applications. It is of interest in this chapter to answer the following questions:• What are the theoretical speed limits of transport? • What are the actual speeds observed in NTs to date? • What further developments are required to increase speeds toward the theoreticallimits? • What implications do these results have on our fundamental understanding of trans-port and the promising applications in the real world?