Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics
12:26

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics

Published on: August 27, 2013

Nanowire liquid pumps.

Jian Yu Huang1, Yu-Chieh Lo, Jun Jie Niu

  • 1Centre for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.

Nature Nanotechnology
|April 2, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Researchers demonstrate liquid flow along nanowires, enabling new nanofluidic applications. This breakthrough allows precise control of attolitre-scale liquid movements on external surfaces, advancing fields like nanotechnology and biosensing.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

CuO/Cu(OH)<sub>2</sub> Heterostructure with Sustained Dynamic Re-equilibration and High HER Activity.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

Antibody-Mediated Targeting of Secretory Protein SCUBE3 Suppresses Cancer Progression by Inhibiting Oncogenic Signaling and Inducing Antitumor Immunity.

Cancer research·2025
Same author

Solid-Basaloid Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Ipsilateral Breast Remnant in Postoperative Luminal HER2-Type Breast Cancer: A Case Report.

Surgical case reports·2025
Same author

Epigenetic silencing of DNA sensing pathway by FOXM1 blocks stress ligand-dependent antitumor immunity and immune memory.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Accelerated Li Penetration and Crack Propagation Due to Mechanical Degradation of Sulfide-Based Solid Electrolyte.

Small methods·2024
Same author

In-Plane Anisotropy in the Layered Topological Insulator Ta<sub>2</sub>Ni<sub>3</sub>Te<sub>5</sub> Investigated via TEM and Polarized Raman Spectroscopy.

ACS nano·2024

Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Materials Science
  • Fluid Dynamics

Background:

  • Controlling liquid movement at the nanoscale is crucial for applications like microfluidics, printing, and biological assays.
  • Existing nanofluidic systems primarily rely on enclosed channels, nozzles, or tubes.
  • Developing methods for external liquid transport on solid nanostructures is an ongoing challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and demonstrate the capability of liquid flow along the outer surfaces of solid nanowires.
  • To analyze the mechanisms governing liquid transport at the attolitre scale on nanowires.
  • To explore the potential of this phenomenon for advanced nanofluidic applications.

Main Methods:

  • In situ transmission electron microscopy for direct imaging of liquid flow.

More Related Videos

Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution
11:55

Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution

Published on: August 16, 2016

Picoinjection of Microfluidic Drops Without Metal Electrodes
09:20

Picoinjection of Microfluidic Drops Without Metal Electrodes

Published on: April 18, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics
12:26

Fabrication, Operation and Flow Visualization in Surface-acoustic-wave-driven Acoustic-counterflow Microfluidics

Published on: August 27, 2013

Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution
11:55

Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution

Published on: August 16, 2016

Picoinjection of Microfluidic Drops Without Metal Electrodes
09:20

Picoinjection of Microfluidic Drops Without Metal Electrodes

Published on: April 18, 2014

  • Utilizing various nanowire materials including tin dioxide, silicon, and zinc oxide.
  • Theoretical analysis to understand the critical film thickness and flow dynamics.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated attolitre-per-second liquid flow along the exterior of nanowires.
    • Observed ionic liquids transporting as thin films or discrete beads on nanowire surfaces.
    • Identified a critical film thickness of approximately 10 nm dictating flow behavior (film vs. beads).

    Conclusions:

    • Liquid can be controllably transported along the external surfaces of solid nanowires, offering a novel nanofluidic approach.
    • The observed critical film thickness is governed by a balance between intermolecular forces, surface energy, and Rayleigh-Plateau instability.
    • This external nanowire-based liquid transport opens new avenues for nanoscale patterning, chemical reactions, and biological assays.