Abstract
The attachment efficiency when nanoparticles contact with a flat smooth wall is investigated by taking the elastic deformation force, van der Waals force and Stokes resistance into account. The equations of interactions between particle and wall are derived and solved numerically to obtain the attachment efficiency for dioctyl phthalate nanoparticles with diameter changing from 100nm to 800nm and for different initial angle of attack. The results show that it is more difficult to attach onto the wall for the particles which attack the wall vertically. The attachment efficiency decreases overall with increasing particle diameter. There exists an abrupt increase in the attachment efficiency when the particle diameter is around 550nm. The attachment efficiency is different with or without considering the elastic deformation force. The difference in the values of attachment efficiency for vertical and horizontal walls is negligible. A new formula for the attachment efficiency is presented to express the relationship between the attachment efficiency and the particle diameter as well as the initial angle of attack.
