Fluid Jets with a Diameter of 20 to 150 Nanometers

A researcher from Northwestern University, together with collaborators from Cambridge University and Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia, have verified the Landau-Squire theory in the smallest submerged jet.

The diameter of the jets used were between 20 and 150 nanometers which corresponds with the length of only a few hundred water molecules positioned in a row.

There are a number of possible applications that have been identified for the nanojet, some of which are quite creative, as reported in Science Daily.

It may be possible for an ultra-low-volume injector to be used for the transference of biomolecules into cells or vesicles. This is a process that is familiar to recombinant DNA technologies which are pivotally important to the production of human insulin and the disease-resistance of crops.

The nanojet may be useful as a ‘flow rectifier’ used in microfluidic logic circuits, which is comparable in function to semicondutor diodes in microelectronics. Another possible use is in applications which have nanoscale patterning and manipulation at the micro level.