Molecular dynamics simulation study of friction force and torque on a rough spherical particle

Recent developments in techniques of micro- and nanofluidics have led to an increased interest in nanoscale hydrodynamics in confined geometries. In our previous study [S. C. Kohale and R. Khare, J. Chem. Phys. 129, 164706 (2008)], we analyzed the friction force experienced by a smooth spherical particle that is translating in a fluid confined between parallel plates. The magnitude of three effects-velocity slip at particle surface, the presence of confining surfaces, and the cooperative hydrodynamic interactions between periodic images of the moving particle-that determine the friction force was quantified in that work using molecular dynamics simulations. In this work, we have studied the motion of a rough spherical particle in a confined geometry. Specifically, the friction force experienced by a translating particle and the torque experienced by a rotating particle are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that the surface roughness of the particle