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arXiv · 1302.4704

Giant Casimir effect in fluids in non-equilibrium steady states

T. R. Kirkpatrick·J. M. Ortiz de Zárate·J. V. Sengers
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Abstract

In this letter we consider the fluctuation induced force exerted between two plates separated by a distance $L$ in a fluid with a temperature gradient. We predict that, for a range of distances $L$, this non-equilibrium force is anomalously large compared to other Casimir forces. The physical reason is that correlations in a non-equilibrium fluid are generally of longer range than other correlations, even than those near an equilibrium critical point. This giant Casimir force is related to a divergent Burnett coefficient that characterizes an Onsager cross effect between the pressure and the temperature gradient. The predicted Casimir force should be detectable with currently available experimental techniques.

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BibTeXRIS

T. R. Kirkpatrick, J. M. Ortiz de Zárate, J. V. Sengers. 2013-02-19. Giant Casimir effect in fluids in non-equilibrium steady states. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.110.235902

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