First-Principle Colloidal Gate for Controlling Liquid and Molecule Flow Using 2D Claylike Nanoparticles

Herein, we exploit the natural tendency of two-dimensional (2D) clay nanoparticles to self-assemble and restrict water permeability in soils to fabricate a first of its kind synthetic, pH-activated, reversible, and tunable colloidal flow gate. To realize this, we studied the effect of the pH level of a suspension of claylike layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles on the LDH coagulation process. We then packed the LDH into a fixed-bed column and examined the effect of pH on mass transport through the column. We found that the 2D platelike LDH particles coagulate in an edge-to-edge configuration, which renders highly nonisotropic aggregates, pivotal for obstructing the transport of liquid and molecules therein. We showed that the coagulation and flow through the column may be regulated by imposing various pH levels as an external stimulus to affect LDH zeta potential. Hence, this work shows that the flow through a column comprising a 2D particle bed can be regulated in a reversible manner by simply alternating the pH of the wash solution, equilibration time, or gate dimensions. Furthermore, we show that, subject to pH treatment, we may open and close the colloidal gate for the transport of large molecules and provide selective transport thereof.

A Temperature-, pH- and Voltage-Responsive Nanogate with a Remarkably High Factor of Change in Ion Currents due to ON/OFF Switching

In biological cells, nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) embedded in cell membranes are capable of controlling the flow of ions, for example, Na⁺ , K⁺ , and Ca²⁺ by responding to stimuli, for example, pH and voltage. Inspired by NPCs, researchers have been endeavoring to develop nanogates to achieve the control of ion transport, but the developed nanogates only have a low factor of change in ion currents due to ON/OFF switching. As such nanopores with high temperature and pH responsivities were developed in this work. According to the experimental results, at a voltage of 3 V, the change in ion currents due to pH change is up to a factor of 170, which is remarkably high compared to other nanogates reported. Quantum chemical (QC) calculation results show that a protonated cytosine molecule (C⁺ ) and an unprotonated cytosine molecule (C) form three pairs of hydrogen bonds and consequently a nucleobase pair, CC⁺ , leading to the binding of various strands, assembly of a strand net, and blockage of ion transport. The nanogate developed is capable of responding to temperature change. At a voltage of 3 V, the factor of change in ion currents in response to temperature variation is as high as 110. Further experiments were performed to investigate the influence of the NaCl concentrations and small opening diameters exerted on nanogate performance.