Single conical nanopores displaying pH-tunable rectifying characteristics. manipulating ionic transport with zwitterionic polymer brushes

J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Feb 18;131(6):2070-1. doi: 10.1021/ja8086104.

Abstract

In this work we describe for the first time the integration of "smart" polymer brushes into single conical nanopores to obtain a new highly functional signal-responsive chemical nanodevice. The responsive brushes were constituted of zwitterionic monomers whose charge is regulated via pH changes in the environmental conditions. The pH-dependent chemical equilibrium of the monomer units provides a fine-tuning of the ionic transport though the nanopore by simply presetting the pH of the electrolyte solution. Our results demonstrate that this strategy enables a higher degree of control over the rectification properties when compared to the nanochannels modified with charged monolayer assemblies. We envision that these results will create completely new avenues to build-up "smart" nanodevices using responsive polymer brushes integrated into single conical nanopores.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electrolytes / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Polymers / chemistry*

Substances

  • Electrolytes
  • Ions
  • Polymers