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Adsorption-induced shape transitions in bistable nanopores with atomically thin walls
Oleg E Shklyaev1, Milton W Cole1, Vincent H Crespi1
1Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802-6300, USA.
Physical Review. E
|February 18, 2017
Summary
Atomically thin nanopores change shape when gas is adsorbed. This study reveals how gas adsorption, not pressure, drives pore expansion and shell formation within nanotubes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Atomically thin cylindrical nanopores exhibit shape changes due to adsorbed gases.
- Pore expansion is driven by adsorption energetics, not external gas pressure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the shape evolution of cylindrical nanopores upon gas adsorption.
- To model the interplay between gas adsorption and nanotube pore geometry.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a lattice gas model to simulate pore shape and gas adsorption.
- Analyzed the system at zero temperature as a function of gas chemical potential.
Main Results:
- Narrower nanotubes remain expanded and adsorb gas in concentric shells with increasing chemical potential.
- Wider nanotubes, initially collapsed, can expand to accommodate one or more adsorbed gas shells.
Conclusions:
- Gas adsorption energetics govern nanopore shape transformation.
- The geometry of nanotubes dictates the mechanism of gas adsorption and shell formation.
