Next Article in Journal
Extraction-Dependent Antioxidant Activity of Red Horse Chestnut (Aesculus × carnea, Family Sapindaceae) Plant Parts
Previous Article in Journal
Progress in the Application of Iron-Based Plant Derived Biochar Catalyst for Fenton-like Remediation of Organic Wastewater: A Review
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Molecules
Volume 30
Issue 23
10.3390/molecules30234548
molecules-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Tuning SWCNT Length to Optimize the Rate–Efficiency–Stability Triad in Nanofluidic Water Channels

by
Shu-Peng Wang
1,
Qi-Lin Zhang
2,
Zhi-Jun Ma
1,
Ju-Xiang Li
3,
Zhen-Yan Lu
1,* and
Rong-Yao Yang
1,*
1
Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensors and Advanced Sensor Materials, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
2
School of Mathematics-Physics and Finance, Anhui Polytechnic University, Wuhu 241000, China
3
School of Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen Campus, Shenzhen 518107, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4548; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234548
Submission received: 5 October 2025 / Revised: 3 November 2025 / Accepted: 7 November 2025 / Published: 25 November 2025
Versions Notes

Abstract

This work shows that the length of single-walled carbon nanotubes is critical in governing the trade-off among the rate, efficiency, and stability of pressure-driven water transport. A critical length of 1.06 nm marks the transition in the transport mechanism from a thermal-fluctuation-dominated regime to an ordered water-chain mode. This transition is driven by the evolution of the potential of mean force with tube length, which progresses from a flat landscape to a high-barrier profile and ultimately forms a low-resistance tunnel in long nanotubes. Notably, this tunnel endows the water chain with an enhanced ability to restore its continuity, allowing it to bridge fracture gaps as wide as 7 Å even in the absence of an external pressure difference. These insights reveal a length-dependent mechanism that could revolutionize CNT–hydrogel hybrids for biomedical applications.
Keywords: single-walled carbon nanotubes; water transport; molecular dynamics simulation; water-chain bridging mechanism; nanofluidics single-walled carbon nanotubes; water transport; molecular dynamics simulation; water-chain bridging mechanism; nanofluidics

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, S.-P.; Zhang, Q.-L.; Ma, Z.-J.; Li, J.-X.; Lu, Z.-Y.; Yang, R.-Y. Tuning SWCNT Length to Optimize the Rate–Efficiency–Stability Triad in Nanofluidic Water Channels. Molecules 2025, 30, 4548. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234548

AMA Style

Wang S-P, Zhang Q-L, Ma Z-J, Li J-X, Lu Z-Y, Yang R-Y. Tuning SWCNT Length to Optimize the Rate–Efficiency–Stability Triad in Nanofluidic Water Channels. Molecules. 2025; 30(23):4548. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234548

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Shu-Peng, Qi-Lin Zhang, Zhi-Jun Ma, Ju-Xiang Li, Zhen-Yan Lu, and Rong-Yao Yang. 2025. "Tuning SWCNT Length to Optimize the Rate–Efficiency–Stability Triad in Nanofluidic Water Channels" Molecules 30, no. 23: 4548. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234548

APA Style

Wang, S.-P., Zhang, Q.-L., Ma, Z.-J., Li, J.-X., Lu, Z.-Y., & Yang, R.-Y. (2025). Tuning SWCNT Length to Optimize the Rate–Efficiency–Stability Triad in Nanofluidic Water Channels. Molecules, 30(23), 4548. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234548

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop