Effect of induced electric field on single-file reverse osmosis.

We investigated the effect of the electric field on single-file reverse osmosis (RO) water flux using molecular dynamics simulations. The electric field is generated by introducing oppositely charged biomolecules to the salt solution and pure water chambers attached to the nanopore. Simulation results indicate that an electric field in the direction of RO enhances the water flux while in the direction opposite to RO it suppresses the water flux. When the RO water flux is enhanced, the single-file water dipoles are aligned in the direction of the electric field. The addition of an electric field in the direction of RO led to a flux of 3 water molecules ns(-1) by constantly maintaining water dipole vectors in the direction of the electric field, and this water flux is superimposed on the pressure driven water flux.