Characteristics of flows at micro/nano scales

Big surface-to-volume ratio
Physics greatly influenced by interfaces
Competing effects whose relative importance is tunable
Usually:
Low Re number
Laminar flows
Non-newtonian fluids (polymers): morphology and viscosity dependent on shear rate
Gravity: unimportant
Diffusion: dominant


        Squires & Quake, Rev. Mod. Phys 77:977 (2005)