CNT-based nanogun triggered by an electric field

We proposed a nanogun model in which a short carbon nanotube (CNT) with one end sealed acts as the barrel and water inside as powder. When confined in a CNT in an electric field, the water cluster undergoes expansion along the axis of the CNT due to the reconstruction of the hydrogen bonds among the dipole molecules. Since the CNT is sealed at one end, the water jets out from the open end. When a nanobullet, a nanoparticle, or a graphene flake stands in the way of the nanojet, it will be pushed out of the CNT barrel. The dynamics response of the nano bullet is investigated by the molecular dynamics approach. It is found that the outlet speed of the bullet may exceed 1 km/s (or 10 Å/ps). The relationship between the outlet speed and the intensity of the electric field approximately follows a hyperbolic tangent function. Besides translation, the rotation and rollover of the bullet can be observed when a rotating electric field is applied to the system, but the rotational frequency of the electric field has a slight effect on the translation of the bullet.