(Press-News.org) Osaka, Japan—A gate that can be open or shut to allow or block the passing of species on one or both sides applies not only on the macroscale, for example a farm gate used to control stock movement, but also at the nanoscale, where a gate can control the translocation of single molecules.
A collaboration headed by researchers at Osaka University has developed a nanogate that can be open or shut by applying electricity. The nanogate shows various behaviors depending on the materials in the solutions on both sides of the gate and the applied voltage, making it attractive for different applications including sensing and controlled chemical reactions.
The nanogate consisted of a single tiny pore that was formed in a silicon nitride membrane. The membrane was positioned in a flow cell formed on a chip and solutions were introduced on both sides of the membrane. The researchers applied voltage to the flow cell via electrodes on the chip, and measured the resulting ionic current, which reflected the transport of ions through the pore. The ionic current was sensitive to the ions in the solutions on both sides of the membrane; thus, the flow of ions and the resulting precipitation or dissolution of metal compounds in the pore could be precisely controlled.
The change of pore diameter resulting from precipitation (which closed the nanogate) or dissolution (which opened the nanogate) led to distinct types of ion transport. “Precipitates grew and closed the pore under negative voltage, decreasing ionic current,” says lead author of the study, Makusu Tsutsui. “Inverting the voltage polarity caused the precipitates to dissolve, reopening the pore.”
Under certain conditions, the formation of a precipitate that blocked the pore resulted in the highest rectification ratio, which is a measure of the propensity of ions to travel only in one direction, achieved to date for a nanofluidic device. As well as acting as a rectifier, the system could also behave as a memristor; that is, a memory effect was observed in its relationship between current and voltage. The sequential precipitation and dissolution of materials in the pore led to this memristive behavior.
Additionally, in-pore reactions could be regulated to allow biomolecule detection. This was demonstrated using DNA. The system exhibited distinct output signals as individual DNA molecules moved through the pore.
“The ability to finely control pore size using applied voltage should allow pores to be tailored for specific analytes immediately before conducting measurements,” explains senior author Tomoji Kawai. “We also anticipate that our approach can be used to develop reaction systems to access new chemical compounds.”
Using a membrane with a single controlled pore in nanofluidic electrochemical devices is a versatile approach that can be tailored for specific applications including sensing, chemical reactions, and neuromorphic computing.
###
The article “Transmembrane voltage-gated nanopores controlled by electrically tunable in-pore chemistry,” appears in Nature Communications at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56052-0.
About Osaka University
Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and is now one of Japan's leading comprehensive universities with a broad disciplinary spectrum. This strength is coupled with a singular drive for innovation that extends throughout the scientific process, from fundamental research to the creation of applied technology with positive economic impacts. Its commitment to innovation has been recognized in Japan and around the world. Now, Osaka University is leveraging its role as a Designated National University Corporation selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to contribute to innovation for human welfare, sustainable development of society, and social transformation.
Website: https://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en
END
Shut the nano gate! Electrical control of nanopore diameter
Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University develop a versatile electrically controlled nanogate that can be tailored for specific molecules
2025-02-05
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Cutting emissions in buildings and transport: Key strategies for 2050
2025-02-05
Key findings: a roadmap to transform energy use by 2050
Electrification (e.g., switching to electric vehicles, heat pumps) alone could cut direct emissions by 45-77% in buildings and 22-86% in transport by 2050.
Combining electrification, efficiency improvements, and behavioral changes could reduce emissions even further: 51-85% for buildings and 37-91% for transport by 2050.
A multi-strategy approach would lower overall electricity demand by 8-33% per year, making the transition more cost-effective ...
How parents can protect children from mature and adult content
2025-02-05
Toronto, ON – As children's screen time continues to rise, so does their exposure to age-inappropriate content, including R-rated movies and violent video games. A new study published in BMC Pediatrics underscores the critical role parents play in shaping their children’s media consumption.
As child media consumption increases along with their exposure to mature media content, a new study finds that parent media practices play a key role in shaping preteens’ consumption of mature video games and R-rated movies.
Researchers found that parents’ own screen habits—such as using screens in front of their children and allowing screens during meals ...
By studying neutron ‘starquakes’, scientists hope to transform their understanding of nuclear matter
2025-02-05
The study of ‘starquakes’ (like earthquakes, but in stars) promises to give us important new insights into the properties of neutron stars (the collapsed remnants of massive stars), according to new research led by the University of Bath in the UK.
Such explorations have the potential to challenge our current approaches to studying nuclear matter, with important impacts for the future of both nuclear physics and astronomy. Longer term, there may also be implications in the fields of health, security and energy.
The value of studying asteroseismology – as these vibrations and flares are known – has emerged from research carried ...
Mouth bacteria may hold insight into your future brain function
2025-02-05
The bacteria in your mouth and on your tongue may be linked to changes in brain function as you age, new research suggested.
The study, led by the University of Exeter, found that certain bacteria were associated with better memory and attention, while others were linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers identified two possible ways these bacteria may impact brain health. This includes harmful bacteria directly entering the bloodstream, potentially causing damage to the brain. Alternatively, an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria can reduce the conversion of ...
Is cellular concrete a viable low-carbon alternative to traditional concrete for earthquake-resistant structures?
2025-02-05
Investigators have found that a product called cellular concrete may be an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional concrete for constructing earthquake-resistant buildings.
In research published in Structural Concrete, the team analyzed the environmental impact of constructing a seven-story archetype residential building in Quito-Ecuador with cellular concrete, which is produced by incorporating a foaming agent that generates air pockets within the concrete matrix to decrease the material’s density while maintaining sufficient structural ...
How does light affect citrus fruit coloration and the timing of peel and flesh ripening?
2025-02-05
Citrus fruit rind color has long been used as an indicator of ripeness, but for some fruits such as mandarin fruit in the Chongqing region of China, the peel and flesh do not ripen synchronously, with the flesh usually reaching maturity while the peel is still green. This is a characteristic that seriously affects its commercial value. In new research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, investigators have discovered how red and blue LED light can stimulate color change in mandarin fruit.
Experiments showed that this light exposure causes ...
Male flies sharpened their eyesight to call the females' bluff
2025-02-05
With bloated bellies and hairy legs, female flies try to look bigger to get food from courting mates. But male flies, in turn, have sharpened their eyesight to call their bluff. A new study by researchers from the Universities of Gothenburg and Stockholm suggests that this is an ongoing evolution where both sexes try to outsmart each other.
For the first time, researchers have been able to show that also males can develop traits that help them pass on their genes despite the manipulative adaptations of the opposite sex. In different species of dance flies, there is a clear correlation between how richly decorated the female ...
School bans alone not enough to tackle negative impacts of phone and social media use
2025-02-05
Students attending schools that ban the use of phones throughout the school day aren’t necessarily experiencing better mental health and wellbeing, as the first worldwide study of its kind has found that just banning smartphones is not enough to tackle their negative impacts.
In a landmark study published today (Wednesday 5 Feb) in Lancet Regional Health Europe, 1227 students from 30 schools across England provided data about smartphone and social media usage and a range of mental health, wellbeing and other outcomes. ...
Explaining science in court with comics
2025-02-05
Imagine being summoned as a juror in a murder trial. The expert responsible for analyzing DNA traces at the crime scene has just explained that they match the defendant’s profile. “Then the culprit must be them,” you think. At this point, however, the expert adds: “The sample, however, is partially degraded.” What does this mean? How does this information affect your judgment? The scientist further explains that there is a one-in-a-billion probability that other people could match the identified genetic profile. ...
‘Living’ electrodes breathe new life into traditional silicon electronics
2025-02-05
Osaka, Japan – High-speed electronic devices that do not use much power are useful for wireless communication. High-speed operation has traditionally been achieved by making devices smaller, but as devices become smaller, fabrication becomes increasingly difficult. Have we reached a dead end?
Not yet! A research team at Osaka University is exploring another way to improve device performance: placing a patterned metal layer, i.e., a structural metamaterial, on top of a traditional substrate, e.g., silicon, to accelerate ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Opening a new chapter in 3D microprinting with the dream material 'MXene'!
Temperature during development influences connectivity between neurons and behavior in fruit flies
Are you just tired or are you menopause tired?
Fluorescent dope
Meningococcal vaccine found to be safe and effective for infants in sub-Saharan Africa
Integrating stopping smoking support into talking therapies helps more people quit – new study
Breast cancer death rates will rise in elderly EU patients but fall for all other ages
Routine asthma test more reliable in the morning and has seasonal effects, say doctors
Yearly 18% rise in ADHD prescriptions in England since COVID-19 pandemic
Public health advice on safety of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks likely needs revising
Water aerobics for more than 10 weeks can trim waist size and aid weight loss
New study in the Lancet HIV highlights gaps in HPV-related cancer prevention for people living with HIV
Growth rates of broilers contribute to behavior differences, shed light on welfare impacts
Nature-inspired 3D-printing method shoots up faster than bamboo
Scientists create a type of catalog, the ‘colocatome,’ of non-cancerous cells’ influence on cancer
MSU researchers use unique approaches to study plants in future conditions
More than marks: How wellbeing shapes academic success
Study quantifies loss of disability-free years of life from COVID-19 pandemic
Butterflies choose mates because they are more attractive, not just easier to see
SwRI receives $3 million NASA astrobiology grant to study microbial life in Alaska’s arctic sand dunes
Inequality destroys the benefits of positive economic growth for the poor
HSS presents innovative research aimed at faster recovery after knee surgery at AAOS Annual Meeting
Advancing catalysis: Novel porous thin-film approach developed at TIFR Hyderabad enhances reaction efficiency
Small, faint and 'unexpected in a lot of different ways': U-M astronomers make galactic discovery
Study finds that supportive workplace culture advances implementation of lifestyle medicine in health systems
USPSTF statement on screening for food insecurity
‘Fishial’ recognition: Neural network identifies coral reef sounds
Cardiovascular health and biomarkers of neurodegenerative disease in older adults
Ethics in patient preferences for AI–drafted responses to electronic messages
Patients’ affinity for AI messages drops if they know the technology was used
[Press-News.org] Shut the nano gate! Electrical control of nanopore diameterResearchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University develop a versatile electrically controlled nanogate that can be tailored for specific molecules