Properties of molecular transport through "hairy" nanochannels
Abstract
Nanompores in solid supports have received ever increasing attention in recent years, particularly in the contexts of DNA sequencing, ultrafiltration membranes for separation and as models for biological gates and pores. Most such nanoporous membranes benefit from a functional polymer coating on the pore wall. However, polymer brushes grown by surface-initiated grafted to the concave wall of a nanochannel experience qualitatively and quantitatively different confinement compared to well-studied brushes on planar supports. We aim to for the first time experimentally systematically address this geometric constraint. Specifically, we propose to synthesize thermo-responsive polymer brushes by SIP inside 300 nm long, 40-200 nm diameter nanochannels through silicon nitride membranes integrated in microfluidic devices. Our focus is to use the resulting tailored brush-modified nanochannel chips to investigate the effect on molecular translocation through such “hairy” channels using microfluidics. These systematic permeability studies using microfluidics will link nanochannel brush properties to macromolecule and nanoparticle translocation, to afford unprecedented characterization and control of through-nanochannel permeation. These lessons may also have important implications for biological transport through, e.g., the nuclear pore complex. The experience gained in the proposed project will be used as basis for further applications and ventures into biosensors with vastly enhanced capture and detection capabilities and the basic science of protein refolding in confined environments.
keywords nanochannel polymer brush molecular transport nanofluidics membrane
Publikationen
Project staff
Erik Reimhult
Univ.Prof. Dr. Erik Reimhult
erik.reimhult@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-80211
Project Leader
01.01.2013 - 31.10.2016
Ronald Zirbs
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Ronald Zirbs
ronald.zirbs@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-80206
Project Staff
01.01.2013 - 31.10.2016
Peter van Oostrum
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Peter van Oostrum
peter.van.oostrum@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-80205
Project Staff
01.01.2013 - 31.10.2016