Thermophoresis of Carboxylic Nanotubes in Gaseous Atmosphere

Abstract

The present paper deals with motion of carbon nanotubes in a temperature gradient field. A determined-static theory of nanosized particles’ thermophores is developed. Analytical expressions for thermophoretic velocity and force of ultramicroheterogeneous particles in a gaseous atmosphere under near-normal conditions are provided. The calculations performed according to the suggested theory, as applied to closed carbon nanotubes, found the value of dimensionless velocity of thermophoresis. In accordance with the proposed hypothesis, Waldman’s limit is achieved, which is expressed in constancy of thermophoretic velocity within the interval of the Knudsen parameter change from 10 to 100. In addition, it is found out that under conditions defined below, velocity of thermophoresis is independent of the length of a carboxylic nanotube. A good agreement with experiments is reached, which makes it possible to assume correspondence of the theory to the physical truth.