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Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Single-Molecule Diffusion and Assembly on Polymer-Crowded Lipid Membranes
Published on: July 19, 2022
Transition from ballistic to electrodiffusive transport in free-standing nanometer-sized polymer membranes
Susanne Schulze1, Karl-Michael Weitzel1
1Fachbereich Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Abstract:
The transition from ballistic to electrodiffusive transport of ions through thin polymer membranes has been investigated by recording single transport events via time-correlated single-particle detection. At the highest kinetic energies investigated, ballistic transport of potassium ions is observed with no discernible energy loss to the membrane. At the lowest kinetic energies investigated (several 100 eV) ions are demonstrated to lose the entire kinetic energy to the membrane. Transport there occurs by electrodiffusion. A transition regime is observed. The transition energy is shown to depend on the thickness of the membrane.
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