pH-温度协同响应的纳米门控器件

自然界中的生物孔道在生命过程中具有重要的意义, 在人工制备的仿生纳米器件上模仿生物孔道的离子输运性质是一项具有挑战性的课题. 我们制备了一种基于人工聚合物薄膜的纳米门控器件,这种纳米门控器件的离子输运性质可以通过调节体系的pH和温度来调控. 通过在人工聚合物薄膜上修饰功能分子聚赖氨酸(poly-L-Lysine)得到的门控器件能够模拟生物体中生物孔道的典型离子输运行为, 其离子输运性能受体系pH的控制, 可以通过调节体系的pH而限制纳米门控器件的导通方向. 同时, 在一定pH条件下调整体系温度也能够对离子输运性能产生影响, 而在其他pH条件下, 温度则不会对体系的离子输运性能产生明显的影响, 即这种基于人工聚合物薄膜的纳米门控器件具有对pH和温度的协同响应性能.     

仿生离子通道研究进展:从一维到二维

在生物电体系中,细胞膜中层级排列的离子通道和离子泵构成集成化的纳米尺度的离子导体,它们成为生命体系能量转换的关键结构基础.从生物离子通道上获得相关启示,通过构筑一维、二维纳米孔道来模拟生物离子通道的结构和功能,实现了可控的离子传输和能量转换.本文总结了仿生离子通道从一维直通构型到二维层状构型的发展,各自的特点、材料的制备方法,以及在仿生能量转换方面的应用.二维仿生离子通道提供了一种大规模、低成本、更为高效的纳米孔道材料制造技术,向纳米孔道材料的实用化迈出了重要一步.本文还重点介绍了二维层状材料及其构筑的二维离子通道在超滤、能量转换与存储等方面的应用.     

仿生纳米通道的制备、修饰及生物分析应用

纳流控作为一种新兴技术,近年来得到了广泛关注.其产生和发展伴随着新流体现象的发现和新型器件的诞生.纳米流体中独特的物质传输性质和潜在的应用引起了广泛关注.迄今为止,纳米通道器件在DNA测序、单分子传感、能源储存与转换、离子门控等方面显示出了巨大的应用前景.本文总结了仿生纳米通道的设计与制备、纳米通道功能化修饰的策略及其在生物分析中的应用研究,并思考了仿生纳米通道的发展与面临的挑战.     

Au纳米颗粒作用下的仿生纳米通道

在自然界的生物体系中,各种各样的离子通道对物质交换、能量输运等生理过程起着重要作用.用人工制备的仿生纳米器件模仿生物孔道的离子输运性质是一项非常具有挑战性的课题.通过在对称柱形聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）聚合物孔道中引入非对称结构,获得了一种具有高整流比的人工纳米孔道体系.通过带正电荷的2-十一烷基-1-二硫脲乙基咪唑啉季铵盐（SUDEI）在柱形纳米孔道的单面吸附,使体系具有了非对称的电荷分布和几何结构,从而具有非线性的离子输运性质,表现出较好的门控性能.Au纳米颗粒可以与SUDEI以Au-S键稳定结合,有效地减小柱孔一端的孔径,进一步提高体系的门控比,且该纳米通道体系非对称响应离子输运有很好的稳定性.     

基于仿生智能纳米孔道的先进能源转换体系

自然界中的生命体系经过40多亿年的进化,实现了对能源的高效转换、存储和利用.特别是生物膜上的各类孔道结构在其中起着重要作用.基于仿生智能纳米通道的先进能源转换体系从生物离子通道中获取与能量转换相关的启示(例如,电鳗放电、ATP合成、视网膜、紫膜等),从原理和结构上模仿生命体系中高效能量转换的某一个侧面,通过产能材料的设计和转换器件的组装,实现机械能到电能、光能到电能、光能到化学能等不同能量形式之间的转换.我们综述了目前应用人工合成的纳米尺度孔道结构进行仿生能源转换的三个热点领域:纳米流体动能-电能转换,纳米流体反向电渗析系统和基于仿生智能纳米孔道的先进能源转换体系.基于智能纳米孔道的能源转换方法摆脱了传统发电设备所必需的机械转动装置的束缚,在可以预见的范围内,仿生产能器件的效能必将超越已有人工体系,为面向未来的能源技术的创新提供了新思路,新理论和新方法.     

电化学限域SiN_X纳米孔道检测核酸分子的研究

固体纳米孔道因其机械强度高、尺寸可控、易于表面修饰及集成化设计等优点被广泛应用于DNA、RNA和蛋白质等生物分子的检测研究.为了检测单个单链核酸分子,本研究采用电化学刻蚀法可控制备了单个SiN_X固体纳米孔道,通过SiN_X固体纳米孔道限域空间效应增强了纳米孔道与短链核酸分子之间的弱相互作用,从而实现了核酸分子的单分子水平检测.通过研究不同孔径(3.1和8.5 nm)纳米孔道与核酸分子间的弱相互作用差异,有效区分了核酸分子在限域空间内产生的过孔和碰撞两种个体行为,加深了对固体纳米孔道限域空间内核酸分子电化学行为的理解.     

人工细胞膜上天然酶与人工受体的分子间通讯

在集成的分子系统中,分子间的通讯联系是设计分子器件和分子机械的重要方式[1].在水相介质中自组装形成的脂质体可以作为分子间通讯的平台,各种分子可以依靠弱作用力,按照设计思路有组织、有计划地排布其上,构成一个功能化的超分子体,即纳米器件(nanodevice).在脂质体上模拟生物膜上发生的细胞信号转导,成为在分子和超分子水平上开发具有仿生特征的新型纳米器件的重要方法和手段,近年来成为关注的热点[2-6].     

(SBA-15)-ZnS主-客体纳米复合材料的制备与表征

本研究在SBA-15分子筛孔道中制备了纳米ZnS。Zn_{2+首先通过离子交换交换到SBA-15中,通过水热法在SBA-15分子筛孔道中制备了纳米ZnS。(SBA-15)-ZnS复合物由粉末X-线衍射,傅立叶变换红外光谱,低温氮气吸附-解析附技术,固体扩散漫反射光谱以及发光研究进行了表征。粉末X-线衍射研究说明在制备主-客体纳米复合材料中分子筛骨架未被制备过程所破坏,保持完整且结晶度仍很高。傅立叶变换红外光谱表明制备的材料骨架完好。77 K低温氮气吸附-解析附研究表明所制备的复合材料孔体积,孔尺寸以及表面积相对于SBA-15分子筛降低,证明客体ZnS已成功地组装入分子筛孔道中。所制备的纳米复合材料固体扩散漫反射吸收光谱相对于体相ZnS显示出蓝移表明,ZnS已限制在分子筛的孔道中且复合材料中分子筛的孔道对ZnS具有明显的立体限域效应,ZnS成功地组装在SBA-15分子筛的孔道中。发光研究表明,(SBA-15)-ZnS样品出现明显发光现象。主-客体复合材料具有良好的发光性能,有望在发光材料领域中获得应用。}     

单个体矢量性特征的固体纳米孔道分析研究

固体纳米孔道作为一种高灵敏的单分子检测技术,由于其机械强度高、尺寸可控、易于阵列化集成等方面的显著优势,已经被广泛应用于DNA,蛋白质以及聚合物等小分子的检测.具有矢量性特征的各向异性单个体在纳米孔道中的穿孔行为对具有空间限域效应的纳米孔道离子流特征信号具有显著影响.为解析单个体矢量性特征对纳米孔道分析的影响,本工作利用氮化硅固态纳米孔道,以单个纳米金棒为各向异性的单个体模型,实时观测了其在孔道中的迁移行为.研究发现当纳米金棒穿过纳米孔道时,产生两种不同阻断程度的特征电流信号,通过对电流信号事件的解析,实时获取了具有矢量特征的金棒所导致的两种特征过孔事件;进一步,建立了离子电流模型,分别对这两种各向异性的穿孔事件机制进行了验证.     

基于聚苯胺纳米孔的DNA分析

固态纳米孔作为传感元件已被广泛应用于蛋白和核酸分析。然而,极低的捕获效率及较快的穿孔速率限制了固体纳米孔传感器的灵敏度和分辨率。本研究制备了一种聚苯胺导电聚合物修饰的固态纳米孔,探究了ssDNA和dsDNA在其中的穿孔行为。研究表明,聚苯胺涂层与DNA间的静电相互作用能显著地将ssDNA的穿孔速率降低至48.2μs/base;同时,通过采用LiCl作为电解质溶液,此聚苯胺纳米孔对ssDNA的捕获效率明显增加。进一步研究发现,基于阻塞电流幅度和穿孔时间的不同,聚苯胺纳米孔能够实现ssDNA与dsDNA的区分。研究结果表明,固态纳米孔的功能修饰能够有效调控DNA分子穿孔行为。制备的聚苯胺纳米孔有望作为一个单分子纳米器件应用于生物分子的分析和检测。     

Concentration-gradient-dependent ion current rectification in charged conical nanopores

Ion current rectification (ICR) in negatively charged conical nanopores is shown to be controlled by the electrolyte concentration gradient depending on the direction of ion diffusion. The degree of ICR is enhanced with the increasing forward concentration difference. An unusual rectification inversion is observed when the concentration gradient is reversely applied. A numerical simulation based on the coupled Poisson and Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations is proposed to solve the ion distribution and ionic flux in the charged and structurally asymmetric nanofluidic channel with diffusive ion flow. Simulation results qualitatively describe the diffusion-induced ICR behavior in conical nanopores suggested by the experimental data. The concentration-gradient-dependent ICR enhancement and inversion is attributed to the cooperation and competition between geometry-induced asymmetric ion transport and the diffusive ion flow. The present study improves our understanding of the ICR in asymmetric nanofluidic channels associated with the ion concentration difference and provides insight into the rectifying biological ion channels.     

The Influence of Divalent Anions on the Rectification Properties of Nanofluidic Diodes: Insights from Experiments and Theoretical Simulations

During the last decade, the possibility of generating synthetic nanoarchitectures with functionalities comparable to biological entities has sparked the interest of the scientific community related to diverse research fields. In this context, gaining fundamental understanding of the central features that determine the rectifying characteristics of the conical nanopores is of mandatory importance. In this work, we analyze the influence of mono‐ and divalent salts in the ionic current transported by asymmetric nanopores and focus on the delicate interplay between ion exclusion and charge screening effects that govern the functional response of the nanofluidic device. Experiments were performed using KCl and K₂SO₄ as representative species of singly and doubly charged species. Results showed that higher currents and rectification efficiencies are achieved by doubly charged salts. In order to understand the physicochemical processes underlying these effects simulations using the Poisson‐Nernst‐Planck formalism were performed. We consider that our theoretical and experimental account of the effect of divalent anions in the functional response of nanofluidic diodes provides further insights into the critical role of electrostatic interactions (ion exclusion versus charge screening effects) in presetting the ionic selectivity to anions as well as the observed rectification properties of these chemical nanodevices.     

In situ Surface Charge Density Visualization of Self-assembled DNA Nanostructures after Ion Exchange

The charge density of DNA is a key parameter in strand hybridization and for the interactions occurring between DNA and molecules in biological systems. Due to the intricate structure of DNA, visualization of the surface charge density of DNA nanostructures under physiological conditions was not previously possible. Here, we perform a simultaneous analysis of the topography and surface charge density of DNA nanostructures using atomic force microscopy and scanning ion conductance microscopy. The effect of in situ ion exchange using various alkali metal ions is tested with respect to the adsorption of DNA origami onto mica, and a quantitative study of surface charge density reveals ion exchange phenomena in mica as a key parameter in DNA adsorption. This is important for structure-function studies of DNA nanostructures. The research provides an efficient approach to study surface charge density of DNA origami nanostructures and other biological molecules at a single molecule level.     

压力对带有pH值可调聚电解质刷的仿生纳米孔中离子选择性的影响

具有pH值可调聚电解质（Polyelectrolyte,PE）刷的合成纳米孔的仿生离子通道在纳米尺度下离子、流体和生物粒子的主动运输控制方面具有重大应用潜力. 离子选择性是纳流体设备中离子传输的重要现象,具有很大的现实意义和实用价值. 本文提出了施加压力控制纳米孔中离子选择度的方法,综合研究了溶液pH值、浓度、外加电压和压力对离子选择度的影响. 仿真结果表明,离子选择度对压力的刺激是敏感的,且不像电压对离子选择度的影响会受到溶液pH值和浓度的制约,且方向不定,速度不可控;压力对离子选择度的影响不受溶液性质制约,并且灵活可控. 该结果对设计带pH值可调聚电解质刷的纳米孔有重要的启发作用.     

Construction of biomimetic smart nanochannels with polymer membranes and application in energy conversion systems

Learning from nature has inspired the creation of intelligent devices to meet the increasing needs of the advanced community and also to better understand how to imitate biology. As one of biomimetic nanodevices, nanochannels or nanopores aroused particular interest because of their potential applications in nanofluidic devices, biosensing, filtration, and energy conversions. In this review we have summarized some recent results mainly focused on the design, construction and application in energy conversion systems. Like biological nanochannels, the prepared smart artificial nanochannels fabricated by ion track-etched polymer membranes and smart molecules show a great potential in the field of bioengineering and biotechnology. And these applications can not only help people to know and understand the living processes in nature, but can also inspire scientists to study and develop novel nanodevices with better performance for the mankind.     

Anomalous Pore‐Density Dependence in Nanofluidic Osmotic Power Generation

Osmotic power generation in biomimetic nanofluidic systems has attracted considerable research interest owing to the enhanced performance and long‐term stability. Towards practical applications, when extrapolating the materials from single‐nanopore to multi‐pore membranes, conventional viewpoint suggests that, to gain high electric power density, the porosity should be as high as possible. However, recent experimental observations show that the commonly‐used linear amplification method largely overestimates the actual performance, particularly at high pore density. Herein, we provide a theoretical investigation to understand the reason. We find a counterintuitive pore‐density dependence in high porosity nanofluidic systems that, once the pore density approaches more than 1×10⁹ pores/cm², the overall output electric power goes down with the increasing pore density. The excessively high pore density impairs the charge selectivity and induces strong ion concentration polarization, which undermines the osmotic power generation process. By optimizing the geometric size of the nanopores, the performance degradation can be effectively relieved. These findings clarify the origin of the unsatisfactory performance of the current osmotic nanofluidic power sources, and provide insights to further optimize the device.     

Thermally responsive ionic transport system reinforced by aligned functional carbon nanotubes backbone

Ion transport plays an important role in energy conversion, biosensors, and a variety of biological processes. Carbon nanotubes, especially for the carbon nanotubes arrays with controlled vertically aligned structures, have displayed great potential as a promising material for regulating ion transport behaviors in the applications of the nanofluidic devices and osmotic energy conversion. Herein, we demonstrate the thermo-controlled ion transport system through the vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes arrays membrane modified by the thermo-responsive hydrogel in a simple and reliable way. The functional carbon nanotubes backbone with the inherent surface charge and interstitial channels structure renders the system improved ion transport behaviors and well controlled switching property by thermo. Based on the integrated properties, the energy output from osmotic power in this system could be regulated by the reversible temperature switches. Moreover, it can realize a higher osmotic energy conversion property regulated by the thermos, which may extend the practical application in the future. The system that combines intelligent response with controlled ion transport behaviors and potential osmotic energy utilizations presents a valuable paradigm for the use of carbon nanotubes and hydrogel composite materials and provides a promising way for applications of nanofluidic devices.     

Solid-state nanopores for ion and small molecule analysis

Solid-state nanopore in analytical chemistry has developed rapidly in the 1990s and it is proved to be a versatile new tool for bioanalytical chemistry. The research field of solid-state nanopore starts from mimicking the biological nanopore in living cells. Understanding the transport mechanism of biological nanopore in vivo is a big challenge because of the experimental difficulty, so it is essential to establish the basic research of artificial nanopores in vitro especially for the analysis of ions and small molecules. The performance of solid-state nanopores could be evaluated by monitoring currents when ions and molecules passed through. The comparison of the two types of nanopores based on current-derived information can reveal the principle of biological nanopores, while the solid-state nanopores are applied into practical bioanalysis. In this review, we focus on the researches of the solid-state nanopores in the fabrication process and in the analysis of ions and small molecules. Fabrication methods of nanopores, ion transport mechanism, small molecule analysis and theoretical studies are discussed in detail.     

Solid-state nanopores for ion and small molecule analysis

Solid-state nanopore in analytical chemistry has developed rapidly in the 1990s and it is proved to be a versatile new tool for bioanalytical chemistry. This review focuses on the analysis of ions and small molecules with nanopores including nanopipettes, polymer film nanopores, Si₃N₄ nanopores, graphene nanopores, MoS₂ nanopores and MOFs.     

Electrical network of nanofluidic diodes in electrolyte solutions: Connectivity and coupling to electronic elements

We consider a nanopore network with simple connectivity, demonstrating a two-dimensional circuit (full-wave rectifier) with ensembles of conical pores acting as nanofluidic diodes. When the bridge nanopore network is fed with an input potential signal of fluctuating polarity, a fixed output polarity is obtained. The full-wave rectification characteristics are demonstrated with square, sinusoidal, and white noise input waveforms. The charging of a load capacitor located between the two legs of the bridge demonstrates that the nanofluidic network is effectively coupled to this electronic element. These results can be relevant for energy transduction and storage procedures with nanopores immersed in electrolyte solutions. Because the individual nanofluidic resistances can be modulated by chemical, electrical, and optical signals, the balanced bridge circuit can also be useful to miniaturize nanopore-based sensing devices.