How marine sponges filter the great oceans via flagella motion: A nanomechanics perspective

Inspired by the flimmer hairs found on the flagella of certain species of choanoflagellates, we show in this paper that nanoscale flagella hair on slender flagellum surfaces can drive flow with nanoscale motion. Using molecular dynamics, we provide numerical proof that the nanoscale hairs, moving in a biased periodic motion, can attain high water flow rates in excess of 1200 $\mu$m${}^3\cdot$ s${}^{-1}$. This flow rate is on par with the experimentally measured flow rates of natural sponges, which are known to be capable of exceptionally high pumping efficiency. This paper highlights the potential of using collective motion of nanohairs to pump fluid and suggests a range of parameters of the force function that can achieve significant flow.