Carbon nanotube-based charge-controlled speed-regulating nanoclutch

摘要

In this paper, a carbon nanotube-based charge-controlled speed-regulating nanoclutch (CNT-CC-SRNC), composed of an inner carbon nanotube (CNT), an outer CNT, and the water confined between the two CNT walls, is proposed by utilizing electrowetting-induced improvement of the friction at the interfaces between water and CNT walls. As the inner CNT is the driving axle, molecular dynamics simulation results demonstrate that CNT-CC-SRNC is in the disengaged state for the uncharged CNTs, whereas water confined in the two charged CNT walls can transmit the torque from the inner tube to the outer tube. Importantly, the proposed CNT-CC-SRNC can perform stepless speed-regulating function through changing the magnitude of the charge assigned on CNT atoms.