Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We study flows generated within a two-dimensional corner by the chemical activity of the confining boundaries. Catalytic reactions at the surfaces induce diffusio-osmotic motion of the viscous fluid throughout the domain. The presence of chemically active sectors can give rise to steady eddies reminiscent of classical Moffatt vortices, which are mechanically induced in similar confined geometries. In our approach, an exact analytical solution of the diffusion problem in a wedge geometry is derived and coupled to the diffusio-osmotic slip-velocity formulation, yielding the stream function of associated Stokes flow. In selected limiting cases, simple closed-form expressions provide clear physical insight into the underlying mechanisms. Our results open new perspectives for the design of microscale mixing strategies in dead-end pores and cornered microfluidic channels, and offer benchmarks for numerical simulations of confined (diffusio-)osmotic systems.
Source: Journal of Fluid Mechanics
Authors: Dobromir Nowak, Maciej Lisicki
Institutions: University of Geneva, University of Warsaw
Language: English
Topic: Micro and Nano Robotics
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
Funder: University of Cambridge
OpenAlex ID: W4415909363