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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
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Membrane Transport Processes Analyzed by a Highly Parallel Nanopore Chip System at Single Protein Resolution
Published on: August 16, 2016
Dynamic Liquid-like Membrane Gates Mass Transport in Inorganic Nanocells
Yong Lu1, Zhexuan Song2, Zetan Cao1
1Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai200240, China.
Nano Letters
|August 12, 2026
Summary
Researchers visualized inorganic nanocells with liquid-like membranes and mercury nanodroplets. Membrane stability, crucial for controlling substance transport, can be disrupted by nanobubbles, leading to mercury crystallization.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Visualizing and manipulating membrane-regulated behavior in nanocells at high spatiotemporal resolution is difficult.
- Inorganic nanocells offer potential for novel applications but require precise control over their dynamic behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To in situ design and visualize inorganic nanocells with dynamic liquid-like membranes and mercury nanodroplets.
- To reveal the atomic-scale behavior of these membranes, including their formation, disappearance, and role in mass transport.
- To investigate the factors affecting membrane stability and the subsequent release and transformation of confined species.
Main Methods:
- In situ design and visualization of inorganic nanocells from cinnabar semiconductor.
- Atomic-scale observation of membrane dynamics and mass transport.
- Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to analyze interfacial charge fluctuations.
Main Results:
- Successfully visualized inorganic nanocells with dynamic liquid-like membranes and mercury nanodroplets.
- Observed periodic reversible cross-feeding within nanodroplets, preventing premature release of mercury species.
- Demonstrated that membrane disruption by nanobubbles or electrolytes causes nanodroplet collapse and subsequent crystallization of mercury compounds.
- Simulations revealed dynamic charge fluctuations at the nanodroplet-membrane interface regulating mass transport.
Conclusions:
- The study provides unprecedented atomic-scale insights into the dynamic behavior of inorganic nanocells and their membranes.
- Membrane stability is governed by a balance of mercury atoms and ions, which is sensitive to external perturbations like nanobubbles.
- Disruption of membrane integrity leads to the release and transformation of confined species, highlighting potential pathways for controlled material processing or environmental remediation.
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