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Updated: May 2, 2026

Transport of Surface-modified Carbon Nanotubes through a Soil Column
Published on: April 2, 2015
Solitons transport water through narrow carbon nanotubes
Thomas B Sisan1, Seth Lichter2
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
Abstract:
Transformative technologies for desalination and chemical separations call for understanding molecular transport through man-made and biological nanochannels. Using numerical simulation of single-file flow of water through carbon nanotubes, we find that flow is due to fast-moving density variations (solitons) that are additive so flow rate is proportional to number of solitons. Simulation results match predictions from a theoretical model for soliton propagation. From 1-300 K flow rates increase as temperature decreases. Our results build a fundamentally new understanding of nanochannel flows and suggest new principles for the design of nanoscale devices.
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