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Nanofluidics: what is it and what can we expect from it?

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Abstract

Starting from the background of nanofluidics in other disciplines, this paper describes the present state of research in this field and discusses possible directions of development. Emphasis is put on the very diverse background of nanofluidics in biology, chemistry, physics and engineering and the valuable knowledge available in these disciplines. First, the forces that play a role on the nanoscale are discussed and then a summary is given of some different theoretical treatments. Subsequently, an overview is given of the different phenomena occurring on the nanoscale and their present applications. Finally, some possible future applications are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. BIOS/Lab-on-a-Chip Group, MESA+ Research Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, Netherlands

    Jan C. T. Eijkel & Albert van den Berg

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  1. Jan C. T. Eijkel
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  2. Albert van den Berg
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Correspondence to Jan C. T. Eijkel.

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Eijkel, J.C.T., Berg, A.v.d. Nanofluidics: what is it and what can we expect from it?. Microfluid Nanofluid 1, 249–267 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-004-0012-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-004-0012-9

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