Nanofluidics

The few nanometers where a solid ends and a liquid begins determine the large-scale behavior of many industrially-relevant systems, such as filtration membranes, electrochemical cells and supercapacitors. Nanofluidics is also a frontier for fundamental research, where the continuum of fluid dynamics meets the atomic and even the quantum nature of matter. This course introduces the modern theoretical tools that underpin the understanding of solid-liquid interfaces and fluid flows through nanometer-scale openings. In the first part, we will review the foundations of electrolyte theory and show how the interplay of the various electrostatic lengthscales can be used to tune nanofluidic transport. In the second part, will explore the limits of continuum theory and introduce some of the tools that can tackle sub-continuum, non-linear and quantum effects. The overall aim of the course is to give students an intuition for the solid-liquid systems that they may encounter across various areas of chemistry and physics.