Acta Chim. Sinica ›› 2018, Vol. 76 ›› Issue (5): 400-407.DOI: 10.6023/A18010030 Previous Articles     Next Articles

Article

简易制备高整流比的异质纳米通道

张倩, 刘庆青, 张倩倩, 范霞, 翟锦   

  1. 北京航空航天大学化学学院 仿生智能界面科学与技术教育部重点实验室 北京航空航天大学生物医学工程高精尖创新中心 北京 100191
  • 投稿日期:2018-01-21 发布日期:2018-03-23
  • 通讯作者: 翟锦,E-mail:zhaijin@buaa.edu.cn;Tel.:010-82318212 E-mail:zhaijin@buaa.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:

    项目受国家重点基础研究发展项目(Nos.2017YFA0206902,2017YFA0206900)和国家自然科学基金(No.21641006)资助.

Facile Fabrication of Heterogeneous Nanochannels with High Ionic Rectification

Zhang Qian, Liu Qingqing, Zhang Qianqian, Fan Xia, Zhai Jin   

  1. Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beijing 100191
  • Received:2018-01-21 Published:2018-03-23
  • Supported by:

    Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2017YFA0206902, 2017YFA0206900) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21641006).

Ion channels in cell membranes play crucial roles in many biological activities. Many artificial nanochannels have been constructed to mimic the organism functions and sensitive to external stimuli. The artificial nanochannels have drawn enormous research attention due to their potential applications and simplicity. In this work, the hourglass shaped alumina nanochannels were fabricated using a double-sided anodization method with an in situ pore opening process. We constructed organic-inorganic heterogeneous nanochannels based on anodic alumina oxide (AAO) and transparent tape by the method of heat treatment. The surface morphology and component of nanoporous heterogeneous membrane were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and ATR-FTIR spectrum. These two kinds of nanochannels have differential diameters and amphoteric characteristics. Heterogeneous nanochannels are composed of organic nanochannels and AAO pores containing carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, respectively. Ion transport through the heterogeneous nanochannels can be modulated, because of the protonation state of the nanochannels under different pH conditions. Because of the heterogeneity of structure and charge, heterojunction is formed in the junction of anodic alumina oxide nanochannels and organic nanochannels. Such an abrupt junction yields a more efficient control of ion accumulation and depletion in the heterogeneous nanochannel. The ionic transport properties of heterogeneous nanochannels can be studied by measuring the current-voltage (I-V) curves. The heterogeneous nanochannels exhibit pH sensitivity. Changing the pH value from acidic to alkaline values, a significant decrease in positive charges and the deprotonated carboxyl group with negative charges can be observed. Due to the synergistic effect of the nanoporous AAO and organic nanochannels, heterogeneous nanochannels exhibit high and controllable rectification with single rectification direction over a wide pH range. The diode-like behavior is quantified by measuring the current rectification ratios. The novel strategy introduced here is a low-cost, scalable, and robust alternative for the fabrication of heterogeneous nanochannels system for nanofluidic applications. This porous heterogeneous membrane have potential applications in the fields of ion transport, separation of biomolecules and energy conversion system.

Key words: ion channels, heterogeneous nanochannels, pH sensitivity, nanofluidic diode, rectification