© 1999 Robert A. Freitas Jr. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Nanomedicine, Volume I: Basic Capabilities, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 1999

9.2.7 Fluid Pumping and Plumbing

After reviewing specific requirements in nanomechanical systems for containing fluids within walls and seals, Drexler¹⁰ concluded that nonbonded nanoscale interfaces could serve as seals to permit the relative motion of surfaces while hindering the flow of fluid between them. Such fluid-tight seals enable the construction of valves, pistons and cylinders, and hence fluid pumps. The following is a brief discussion of several useful classes of general-purpose nanopump designs. Molecule-specific nanopumps are described in Section 3.4; biocompatibility issues³²³⁴ are deferred to Chapter 15.

Last updated on 20 February 2003