An investigation of molecular layering at the liquid-solid interface in nanofluids by molecular dynamics simulation

The molecular layering at liquid-solid interface in a nanofluid is investigated by equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. By tracking the positions of the nanoparticle and the liquid atoms around the spherical nanoparticle, it was found that an absorbed slip layer of liquid is formed at the interface between the nanoparticle and liquid; this thin layer will move with the Brownian motion of the nanoparticle. Through the analysis of the density distribution of the liquid near the nanoparticle it is found that the thickness of the layering is about 0.5 nm under the parameters used in the Letter.