On the nanoscale, particles flow in unexpected ways
Researchers studying how fluids travel through nanoscale channels were surprised to discover that the fluids don't flow equally well in all directions. Contrary to the behavior in the macroscale world, the researchers discovered that methyl alcohol, when it was placed in a network of nanoscale channels in a mineral known as a zeolite, diffused 1,000 times faster in one direction than another. This is the first known evidence of such highly unequal diffusion of molecules in a nanoporous material. This highly lopsided flow occurred despite the fact that the diameters of the respective channels are quite similar. In the mineral, two types of nanoscale channels are present: 8-ring and 10-ring channels. The numbers refers to the relative size of the pores in the material, though they are extremely close in size with only subtle differences in geometry. The methyl alcohol molecules were stored initially inside an optical cell.