Research Institute for Soft Matter and Biomimetics, College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China.
State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Mechanical Structures, College of Aerospace Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, P. R. China.
Adv Mater. 2019 Mar;31(11):e1805130. doi: 10.1002/adma.201805130. Epub 2019 Jan 11.
Biological nanochannels control the movements of different ions through cell membranes depending on not only those channels' static inherent configurations, structures, inner surface's physicochemical properties but also their dynamic shape changes, which are required in various essential functions of life processes. Inspired by ion channels, many artificial nanochannel-based membranes for nanofluidics and biosensing applications have been developed to regulate ionic transport behaviors by using the functional molecular modifications at the inner surface of nanochannel to achieve a stimuli-responsive layer. Here, the concept of a dynamic nanochannel system is further developed, which is a new way to regulate ion transport in nanochannels by using the dynamic change in the curvature of channels to adjust ionic rectification in real time. The dynamic curvature nanochannel-based membrane displays the advanced features of the anomalous effect of voltage, concentration, and ionic size for applying simultaneous control over the curvature-tunable asymmetric and reversible ionic rectification switching properties. This dynamic approach can be used to build smart nanochannel-based systems, which have strong implications for flexible nanofluidics, ionic rectifiers, and power generators.
生物纳米通道根据不同的离子通过细胞膜的运动，不仅取决于这些通道的静态固有配置、结构、内表面的物理化学性质，还取决于它们的动态形状变化，这些变化是生命过程各种基本功能所必需的。受离子通道的启发，已经开发出许多基于人工纳米通道的纳米流控和生物传感应用的膜，通过在纳米通道内表面进行功能分子修饰来调节离子传输行为，以实现对刺激的响应层。在这里，进一步发展了动态纳米通道系统的概念，这是一种通过通道曲率的动态变化实时调节离子整流的新方法。基于动态曲率纳米通道的膜具有电压、浓度和离子尺寸异常效应的先进特性，可同时应用于对曲率可调的不对称和可逆离子整流开关特性的控制。这种动态方法可用于构建智能纳米通道系统，这对灵活的纳米流控、离子整流器和发电机具有重要意义。
