Random Walk in an Eddy and Nanotube Self-Assembly

摘要

Tubular shape formation of an ensemble of fine particles captured by a microscopic vortex in a gaseous or fluid medium is investigated. In the circulation flow of the eddy, both the deterministic forces of hydrodynamics and the random forces of Brownian motion drive the small particles. The conditions for dynamically/statistically stable tube formation and the resulting tube parameters are obtained by analytical calculations and computer simulations, respectively. The model answers several key questions of the formation of nanotubes, however, many open questions still remain.