Water transport phenomena through membranes consisting of vertically-aligned double-walled carbon nanotube array

Nanofluidics in CNTs is argumentative though it is theoretically calculated by various reports. It is because only a few of experimental reports are available, and the measured permeability is not so large as that suggested from the theoretical calculations. Also, water motion suppression in the confined space has not been exhibited by flux measurement. The present work explores these yet-unsolved discrepancies using the measurable size membrane of vertically aligned double-walled carbon nanotube array, which is borne with durability and flexibility, and a conventional measurement method is applied to the membranes. Water motion suppression occurs in the CNT confined space significantly, depending on temperature. Additionally, it is confirmed that the obtained permeability correlates to the reported experimental results with regard to the relationship between CNT length and permeability, and the correlation does not agree with permeability calculated from the Hagen-Poiseuille law. These results pose an insight into the inherent water transport characteristics in the CNT confined space.

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