Molecular dynamics investigation of the mechanisms of thermal creep flow in nanotubes

Thermal creep is often associated with the flowing of a rarefied gas via the effect of temperature difference in solid boundaries. Recently the feasibility of such flow in dense fluids becomes a challenge. This paper deals with simulating the thermal creep flow in liquids confined in nanotubes. The investigations are carried on by molecular dynamics simulation method. The goal of this work is providing a clean picture of the thermal creep phenomenon mechanism in liquids. Simulation results show the existence of such flow in liquids in nanotubes. The thermal creep effect is stronger in nanotubes with narrower cross sections. Molecular data provided by the simulations shows there is a fluid layering phenomenon near the solid wall. The fluid layering together with the wall temperature gradient develops a pressure gradient near the wall. This pressure gradient acts as a planar force and is assumed to be responsible for the thermal creep effect. This force causes the fluid to flow toward the hot side of the tube. The mechanism of thermal creep phenomena is justified by the use of molecular principles and molecular data which are obtained from the molecular dynamics simulations.