Asymmetric Diffusion through Synthetic Nanopores

Z. Siwy, I. D. Kosińska, A. Fuliński, and C. R. Martin

Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 048102 – Published 3 February 2005

Abstract

We show that diffusion currents for a membrane containing a single conical nanopore with a fixed surface charge and small enough opening diameter depend on the concentration gradient direction. We interpret the results based on the effect of salt concentration on the thickness of the electrical double layer within the nanopore associated with the nanopore’s surface charge and the distribution of electric fields inside the pore. The experimental observations are described by a diffusional model based on the Smoluchowski-Nernst-Planck equation.

Received 31 August 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.048102

Authors & Affiliations

Z. Siwy^1,2, I. D. Kosińska³, A. Fuliński³, and C. R. Martin¹

¹University of Florida, Department of Chemistry, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
²Silesian University of Technology, Strzody 9, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
³Jagellonian University, M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Reymonta 4, PL-30-059 Kraków, Poland

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Vol. 94, Iss. 4 — 4 February 2005

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