Biomimetic MXene membranes with negatively thermo-responsive switchable 2D nanochannels for graded molecular sieving

Negatively thermo-responsive 2D membranes,which mimic the stomatal opening/closing of plants,have drawn substantial interest for tunable molecular separation processes.However,these membranes are still restricted significantly on account of low water permeability and poor dynamic tunability of 2D nanochannels under temperature stimulation.Here,we present a biomimetic negatively thermo-responsive MXene membrane by covalently grafting poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAm)onto MXene nanosheets.The uniformly grafted PNIPAm polymer chains can enlarge the interlayer spacings for increasing water permeability while also allowing more tunability of 2D nanochannels for enhancing the capability of gradually separating multiple molecules of different sizes.As expected,the constructed membrane exhibits ultrahigh water permeance of 95.6 L m^(-2) h^(-1) bar^(-1) at 25℃,which is eight-fold higher than the state-of-the-art negatively thermoresponsive 2D membranes.Moreover,the highly temperature-tunable 2D nanochannels enable the constructed membrane to perform excellent graded molecular sieving for dye-and antibiotic-based ternary mixtures.This strategy provides new perspectives in engineering smart 2D membrane and expands the scope of temperature-responsive membranes,showing promising applications in micro/nanofluidics and molecular separation.

On flow characteristics of liquid-solid mixed-phase nanofluid inside nanochannels

The atomic behavior of liquid-solid mixed-phase nanofluid flows inside nanochannels is investigated by a molecular dynamics simulation （MDS）. The results of visual observation and statistic analysis show that when the nanoparticles reach near each other, the strong interatomic force will make them attach together. This aggrega- tion continues until all nanoparticles make a continuous cluster. The effect of altering the external force magnitude causes changes in the agglomeration rate and system enthalpy. The density and velocity profiles are shown for two systems, i.e., argon （Ar）-copper （Cu） nanofluid and simple Ar fluid between two Cu walls. The results show that using nanopar- ticles changes the base fluid particles ordering along the nanochannel and increases the velocity. Moreover, using nanoparticles in simple fluids can increase the slip length and push the near-wall fluid particles into the main flow in the middle of the nanochannel.

Electrokinetic flow in the U-shaped micro-nanochannels

U-shaped micro-nanochannels can generate significant flow disturbance as well as locally amplified electric field, which gives itself potential to be microfluidic mixers, electrokinetic pumps,and even cell lysis process. Numerical simulation is utilized in this work to study the hidden characteristics of the U-shaped micro-nanochannel system, and the effects of key controlling parameters(the external voltage and pressure) on the device output metrics(current, maximum values of electric field, shear stress and flow velocity) were evaluated. A large portion of current flowing through the whole system goes through the nanochannels, rather than the middle part of the microchannel, with its value increasing linearly with the increase of voltage. Due to the local ion depletion near micro-nanofluidic junction, significantly enhanced electric field(as much as 15 fold at V=1 V and P_0=0) as well as strong shear stress(leading to electrokinetic flow) is generated.With increasing external pressure, both electric field and shear stress can be increased initially(due to shortening of depletion region length), but are suppressed eventually at higher pressure due to the destruction of ion depletion layer. Insights gained from this study could be useful for designing nonlinear electrokinetic pumps and other systems.

Synthesis, Characterization and X-Ray Structure of a Ba(II)/Ag(I)/Cr(III)-Oxalate Salt with Water-Filled Nanochannels

A novel mixed barium(II)/silver(I)/chromium(III) oxalate salt, Ba0.5Ag2[Cr(C2O4)3]·5H2O (1), with open architecture has been synthesized in water and characterized by elemental analysis, vibrational and electronic spectra, and single crystal X-ray structure determination. Compound 1 crystallizes in a monoclinic space group C2/c, with unit cell parameters a = 18.179(3), b = 14.743(2), c = 12.278(2)Å, β = 113.821(3), V = 3010.34(90) Å3, Z = 8. The structure is characterized by a network of anionic [Cr(C2O4)3]3- units connected through the O atoms of the oxalates to Ba2+ and Ag+ sites, forming a three-dimensional coordination polymer with one-dimensional isolated nanochannels parallel to the c axis, and encapsulating hydrogen-bonded guest water molecules. The bulk structure is consolidated by O–H···O bridgings within the nanochannels and by coulombic interactions.

Electrokinetic pumping system based on nanochannel membrane for liquid delivery

Nonmechanical pumping of liquids is of key importance for applications from the biomedical microfluidic chip to drug delivery systems. In this paper, a new electrokinetic pump （EOP） system with polycarbonate nanoehannel membrane sandwiched between two membrane holders was constructed. The pump was tested with water and phosphate buffer at 1-6 V applied voltage, the maximum pressure and flow rate are 0.32 MPa （3.2 atm） and 4.2 μL/min for phosphate buffer, respectively. This proof-of-concept pump shows its potential use for drugs or chemical agents delivery by the usage of different membrane materials.

Temperature Fluctuations in a Rectangular Nanochannel

We consider an incompressible fluid in a rectangular nanochannel. We solve numerically the three dimensional Fourier heat equation to get the steady solution for the temperature. Then we set and solve the Langevin equation for the temperature. We have developed equations in order to determine relaxation time of the temperature fluctuations, τT = 4.62 × 10-10s. We have performed a spectral analysis of the thermal fluctuations, with the result that temporal correlations are in the one-digit ps range, and the thermal noise excites the thermal modes in the two-digit GHz range. Also we observe long-range spatial correlation up to more than half the size of the cell, 600 nm;the wave number, q, is in the 106 m-1 range. We have also determined two thermal relaxation lengths in the z direction: l1 = 1.18 nm and l2 = 9.86 nm.

Anionic Nanochanneled Silver-Deficient Oxalatochromate(III) Complex with Hydroxonium as Counter Ion: Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure

Reaction of Ba0.50[Ag2Cr(C2O4)3]·5H2O with Ag2SO4 in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid (pH ≈ 3) yielded the silver(I)/chromium(III) oxalate salt H0.50[Ag2.50Cr(C2O4)3]·5H2O (1). Compound 1 can be best described as an anionic silver-deficient oxalatochromate(III) complex [Ag2.50Cr(C2O4)3]0.5- with nanochannels containing hydrogen-bonded water molecules and protons. Thermal analyses show significant weight losses corresponding to the elimination of water molecules of crystallization followed by the decomposition of the network.

Outer-surface Covering of Nanochannels with Hydrogel for Highly Sensitive and Specific Cr(VI)Detection Through Analyte-caused Charge Change in Hydrogel

Nanochannels have made great progress and are a promising platform for detecting a series of targets.However,most nanochannels are modified on the inner wall,while ignoring the outer surface.Here,we modified the outer surface of nanochannels with hydrogel.Different from other reported outer-surface modification methods,we directly cover nanochannels with hydrogel to form heterogeneous membrane.The selected hydrogel hardly adsorbs other ions and shows specific adsorption for Cr(VI).The adsorption sites in hydrogel are homogeneous,and Cr(VI)adsorption onto hydrogel is endothermic and spontaneous.The charge in hydrogel changes after Cr(VI)adsorption,and the resulting current changes can be used for the detection of Cr(VI)with the detection limit of 10−11 mol/L.Our platform is expected to be used for Cr(VI)detection in living organisms,especially within cells.This work provides a new approach for outer-surface modification of nanochannels and offers a new choice for nanochannel detection platforms.

Nanopores/Nanochannels Based on Electrical and Optical Dual Signal Response for Application in Biological Detection

Cancers and chronic diseases have always been global health problems. The occurrence and development of such diseases are closely related to the abnormalities of proteins, nucleic acids, ions or small molecules in the body. Nowadays, nanopores/nanochannels have emerged as a powerful platform for detecting these biomolecules based on the electrical signal variation caused by biomolecules passing. However, detection relied on the electrical signal easily suffered from the clogging defects, low throughput, and strong background signals. Fortunately, the emergence of designing nanopores/nanochannels based on electrical and optical dual signal response has brought innovative impetus to biological detection, which can also identify the chemical compositions and conformations of the biomolecules. In this review, we summarize the reasonable preparation of nanopores/nanochannels with electrical and optical dual signal response and their application in biological detection. According to different biomolecules, we divide the targets into four types, including nucleic acids, small molecules, ions and proteins. In each section, the design of representative examples and the principle of dual signal generation are introduced and discussed. Finally, the prospects and challenges of nanopores/nanochannels based on electrical and optical dual signal response are also discussed.

Water’s motions in x–y and z directions of 2D nanochannels:Entirely different but tightly coupled

Two-dimensional(2D)material-based membrane separation has attracted increasing attention due to its promising performance compared with traditional membranes.However,in-depth understanding of water transportation behavior in such confined nanochannels is still lacking,which hinders the development of 2D nanosheets membranes.Herein,we investigated water confined in graphene or MoS_(2)nanochannels by molecular dynamics(MD)simulations and found water’s diffusivity always varied linearly with their mean square displacement along z direction(Δz^(2))when system variables(e.g.,water molecules’number,channel height,nonbonded interaction parameter,harmonic potential constraining water’s z-coordinate)changed.Such linear correlation applies to different water models and different force fields(FFs)of channel walls(e.g.,different Lennard–Jones parameters or even flexible FF),no matter whether water molecules form 3-,2-,or quasi-2-layer structure in the nanochannel.This indicates,though water molecules’motion along z direction(z-fluctuation,confined within 1 nm)and that in xy plane(xydiffusion)are entirely different,they are tightly coupled:Violent z-fluctuation would produce more transient void to facilitate xydiffusion,which is to the sharp contrary of bulk water,where motions in x,y,z directions are symmetric,but independent.Our work could help design high performance 2D nanochannels and discover more novel principles in nano-fluidics and membrane separation fields.

Construction and application of bioinspired nanochannels based on two-dimensional materials

With the development of nanotechnology and materials science,bioinspired nanochannels appeared by mimicking the intelligent functions of biological ion channels.They have attracted a great deal of at-tention in recent years due to their controllable structure and tunable chemical properties.Inspired by the layered microstructure of nacre,2D layered materials as excellent matrix material of nanochannel come into our field of vision.Bionic nanochannels based on 2D materials have the advantages of facile preparation,tunable channel size and length,easy expansion,and modification,etc.Therefore,the 2D layered nanofluid system based on bionic nanochannels from 2D layered materials has great potential in biomimetic microsensors,membrane separations,energy conversion,and so on.In this paper,we focus on the construction and application of bionic nanochannels based on 2D layer materials.First,a basic understanding of nanochannels based on 2D materials is briefly introduced,we also present the property of the 2D materials and construction strategies of bionic nanochannels.Subsequently,the application of these nanochannels in responsive channels and energy conversion is discussed.The unsolved challenges and prospects of 2D materials-based nanochannels are proposed in the end.

不凝性气体对纳米通道内水分子流动传热影响的分子动力学模拟

随着电子元件高性能化和小型化的发展,纳米通道内工质的流动传热问题受到了更多的关注.本文采用分子动力学模拟方法,模拟了300,325,350 K的纳米通道中流体的流动传热情况,工质为水,水中不凝性气体用氩气代替.结果表明:流动过程中,氩原子形成高势能团簇,随着温度升高,流体势能上升,团簇逐渐减小或消失;少量气体原子能够促进流动,而较多氩气会导致通道中心区域形成较大气体团簇而阻碍流动,同时,被加热的工质能显著减小流动阻力系数;近壁面区域流体温度高于中心区域,团簇内部原子活动更加剧烈,平均分子动能更大,温度更高;水的氢键结构可以促进纳米通道内的传热,氩原子会影响氢键数量,高温会破坏水分子形成的氢键网络,使努塞尔数下降.本研究分析了不凝性气体影响下微通道内水分子流动传热的机理,为电子设备的强化传热提供了理论指导.

Molecular dynamics simulation of ion transport in a nanochannel

A molecular dynamics (MD) model of the fluidic electrokinetic transport in a nano-scale channel with two bulk sinks was presented, and the process of ion transport in the nanochannel was simulated in this paper. The model consists of two water sinks at the two ends and a pump in the middle, which is different from a single pump model in previous MD simulations. Simulation results show that the charged surfaces of the nanochannel result in the depletion of co-ions and the enrichment of counterions in the nanochannel. A stable current is induced because of the motion of ions when an external electric field is applied across the nanochannel, and the current in the pump region is mainly induced by the motion of counterions. In addition, the ion number in the pump region rapidly decreases as the external electric field is applied. In the equilibrated system, the electrically neutral character in the pump region is destroyed and this region displays a certain electrical character, which depends on the surface charge. The ion distribution is greatly different from the results predicted by the continuum theory, e.g. a smaller peak value of Na+ concentration appears near the wall. The transport efficiency of counterions (co-ions) can be effectively increased (decreased) by increasing the surface charge density. The simulation results demonstrate that the ion distribution in the electric double layer (EDL) of a nanochannel cannot be exactly described by the classical Gouy-Chapman-Stern (GCS) theory model. The mechanism of some special experimental phenomena in a nanochannel and the effect of the surface charge density on the ion-transport efficiency were also explored to provide some theoretical insights for the design and application of nano-scale fluidic pumps.

Biomimetic nanochannel membrane for cascade response of borate and cis-hydroxyl compounds:An IMP logic gate device

Biomimetic nanodevice is an important branch to expand the potential applications of artificial nanochannels. Here, we constructed nanochannels for cascade response of borate and cis-hydroxyl compounds by modifying the nanochannels of track-etched polycarbonate (TEPC) membranes with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Firstly, borate bound to PVA and increased the negative charge density on the surface of the nanochannels, which obstructed the transport of 1,5-naphthalene disulfonate (NDS2-). Subsequently, the addition of cis-hydroxyl compounds induced leaving of borate due to the stronger binding affinities between borate and cis-hydroxyl compounds, which reduced the negative charge density on nanochannels and then enhanced the transport of NDS2-. The cascade response of the nanochannels also accord with the properties of IMP (implication) logic gate. In addition, such nanochannels showed good reproducibility and reversibility. Therefore, this cascade response model based on nanochannels has the potential to be used as switches in area of actuators and biosensors, and is also expected to be used to understand the interaction of substances in nanoscale and simulate the physiological functions of boron.

Selective sensing and transport in bionic nanochannel based on macrocyclic host-guest chemistry

Imitating the signal transduction and transmembrane transport co ntrolled by biological channels in the cell membra ne,artificial nanochannels with a similar capability of sensing and transport are constructed as bionic nanochannels.To accomplish selective sensing and transport of biological analyte(as "guest"),the bionic nanochannels are modified with the artificial receptor(as "host"),Based on selective recognition between host and guest,bionic nanochannels translate the stimulus of the guest to electrochemical signal as sensors,and further regulate the transmission of guest as transporters.Howeve r,throughout all kinds of guests,the selective sensing and transpo rt of ions and chiral molecules is a challenging problem.And throughout all hosts of ions and chiral molecules,the macrocyclic hosts with multisite of recognition show better selectivity,such as crown ethers,cyclodextrins,calixarenes,and pillararenes.In this article,we highlight recent advances in the macrocyclic host-based nanochannels for the selective sensing and transport of ionic and chiral guests,summarize the similarities and differences of different kinds of macrocyclic host-based nanochannels,and expect the research direction and application prospect.

Biomimetic smart nanochannels for power harvesting

With the increasing requirements of reliable and environmentally friendly energy resources, porous materials for sustainable energy conversion technologies have attracted intensive interest in the past decades. As an important block of porous materials, biomimetic smart nanochannels （BSN） have been developed rapidly into an attractive field for their well-tunable geometry and chemistry. With inspiration from nature, many works have been reported to utilize BSN to harvest clean energy. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the BSN for power harvesting from four parts of brief introduction of BSN, biological prototypes for power harvesting, BSN-based energy conversion, and conclusion and outlook. Overall, by learning from nature, exploiting new avenues and improving the performance of BSN, a number of exciting developments in the near future may be anticipated.

基于外表面修饰的固态纳米通道用于生物标志物分析的研究进展

生物标志物,如离子、小分子、蛋白质、多糖、核酸和细胞,参与生物体的构建,在生命过程中发挥重要作用。准确检测这些生物标志物对于疾病研究、早期诊断、药物评估和人类健康监测具有重要意义。外表面功能化固态纳米通道在纳米通道的外表面进行修饰,消除了对靶标分子的限制,通过基于离子信号的变化,提升了检测的速度和灵敏度。本文从外表面修饰的固态纳米通道在生物标志物检测方面进行综述,简要介绍了固态纳米通道外表面功能化的方法,重点总结了外表面修饰的固态纳米通道在生物标志物分析上的研究进展,简要展望外表面修饰的固态纳米通道所面临的挑战与发展机遇。

电场方向对一维断裂纳米通道连接处水桥结构的影响

电场影响纳米通道内的水分子的电偶极矩取向,进而影响纳米通道内的水分子的传输.为了有效发掘水分子在纳米通道内的传输特点,必须研究更复杂的纳米通道结构.最新一种构造复杂纳米通道的方式是构造断裂纳米通道.在研究断裂纳米通道内的水分子的动力学特点时,通常是在零电场或单一电场方向下进行的,电场方向对断裂纳米通道内的水分子的影响机理尚不明确,这制约了部分场控分子器件的设计.为了探究该问题,本文采用分子动力学模拟方法,系统研究了电场方向从0°变化到180°的过程中,电场方向对完整纳米通道以及断裂长度分别为0.2和0.4 nm的断裂纳米通道内的水分子的占据数、传输、水桥、电偶极矩偏向等性质的影响.结果表明,在1 V/nm的电场强度作用下,这三种纳米通道内的水分子的占据数、传输等差别主要集中在电场方向与管轴夹角为90°时,此时完整纳米通道内能形成稳定的水链,断裂长度为0.2 nm的纳米通道的连接处能形成不稳定的水桥,而断裂长度为0.4 nm的纳米通道的连接处不能形成水桥.此外,模拟发现当电场极化方向与管轴夹角为90°时,增大电场的强度,断裂纳米通道连接处的水桥更容易断裂.

棱形石墨烯纳米孔道内离子传输性能的分子动力学模拟

纳米通道的尺寸、结构和表面化学对其内部溶液的分布结构和输运性质有着重大影响.本文研究了一种全新的菱形石墨烯纳米通道.这种理想的通道与最近被广泛研究的金属有机框架材料(MOF)的内部结构类似,有着与传统的碳纳米管截然不同的内部结构.本文使用分子动力学模拟的方法研究在不同尺寸的菱形石墨烯纳米通道内的KCl溶液的性质,并将其与同尺寸的单壁碳纳米管进行了比较.研究结果表明在小孔道内(<20)其内部的溶液结构呈现若干个密度极高的聚集区域,即出现了结晶化的趋势.这一研究结果,将为MOF的结构设计提供思路,从而有望实现类似于生物离子通道的高选择性和高传输能力.

Shape effect of nanochannels on water mobility

Confinement can induce unusual behaviors of water. Inspired by the fabrication of carbon nanotubes with noncircular cross sections, we performed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the mobilities of water confined in carbon nanochannels with circular, square, and equilateral triangular cross sections over a variety of dimensions. We find that water exhibits disparate mobilities across different types of channels below 0.796 nm(2). Notably, compared with the other two channels, water in equilateral triangular channels displays the greatest mobilities. Moreover, at 0.425 nm(2), different ordered structures are found in the three channels, and water inside the square channel exhibits an extremely low mobility. It is also found that above 0.796 nm(2), the mobilities along the tube axis of water converge to that of the bulk. These phenomena are understood by analyzing the structure, dynamics, and hydrogen bonding of water. Our work explores the mobilities of water across noncircular carbon nanochannels, which may expand the prospect of noncircular nanochannels in scientific studies and practical applications, such as desalination and drug delivery.