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Updated: Aug 7, 2025
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Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution
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Fluids and Electrolytes under Confinement in Single-Digit Nanopores
Narayana R Aluru1, Fikret Aydin2, Martin Z Bazant3,4
1Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78712TexasUnited States.
Chemical Reviews
|March 10, 2023
Summary
Fluids in single-digit nanopores (<10 nm) show unique physics, enabling faster transport and new technologies. Understanding these nanoscale confinement effects is key for water purification and energy devices.
Area of Science:
- Nanofluidics
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Confined fluids in nanopores impact mass transport and energy efficiency.
- Existing theories struggle with single-digit nanopores (SDNs, <10 nm).
- SDNs exhibit exotic phenomena like fast water transport and dielectric anomalies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review progress in nanofluidics of SDNs.
- Focus on confinement effects in extremely narrow nanopores.
- Identify knowledge gaps and future opportunities.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent advancements in precision model systems.
- Discussion of transformative experimental tools for SDN measurements.
- Integration of multiscale theories for understanding nanofluidic transport.
Main Results:
- SDNs reveal surprising physics, including accelerated mass transport.
- Observed phenomena include distorted fluid-phase boundaries and quantum effects.
- Dielectric anomalies and strong ion correlations are prominent in SDNs.
Conclusions:
- Exploiting SDN effects offers opportunities for water-energy nexus technologies.
- Potential applications include advanced membranes, water purification, and energy devices.
- SDNs enable ultrasensitive chemical sensing at the single-ion/molecule limit.
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