Transport phenomena in nanofluidics

The transport of fluid in and around nanometer-sized objects with at least one characteristic dimension below $100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ enables the occurrence of phenomena that are impossible at bigger length scales. This research field was only recently termed nanofluidics, but it has deep roots in science and technology. Nanofluidics has experienced considerable growth in recent years, as is confirmed by significant scientific and practical achievements. This review focuses on the physical properties and operational mechanisms of the most common structures, such as nanometer-sized openings and nanowires in solution on a chip. Since the surface-to-volume ratio increases with miniaturization,…