Flow regimes and parameter dependence in nanochannel flows.

Nanoscale fluid flow systems involve both microscopic and macroscopic parameters, which compete with each another and lead to different flow regimes. In this work, we investigate the interactions of four fundamental parameters, including the fluid-fluid, fluid-wall binding energies, temperature of the system, and driving force, and their effects on the flow motion in nanoscale Poiseuille flows. By illustrating the fluid flux as a function of a dimensionless number, which represents the effective surface effect on the fluid, we show that the fluid motion in nanochannels falls into different regimes, each of which is associated with a distinct mechanism. The mechanisms in different situations reveal the effects of the parameters on the fluid dynamics.