1.D.325.  The Polymer and Dentrimer Transmembrane Ion Nanopore (PAD-INP) Family  

Nanopores can be made from charged homopolymers, neutral block copolymer and dendrimers under distinct bias potentials and pH conditions. The nanopore translocation properties reveal that the dispersion and transport is pH-dependent (Ren et al. 2025). The neutral block copolymer with longest molecular chain threads through with longest blockage duration, its highest capture rate was achieved in 0.5 M KCl at pH 5 with slow diffusion and high temporal resolution. The two generations of neutral dendrimers could also translocate under bias potentials, probably due to the ion adsorption on the dendrimers and driven by Brownian force. TEG-81 with larger molecular size translocates with longer residence time and higher blockage ratio, as expected. Both of the dendrimers exhibit a higher blockage ratio at pH 7.4 than either acidic or alkalic conditions, indicating a larger stretched conformation adopted under neutral conditions. This work presents the analysis of unimolecular charged and neutral polymers and dendrimers, which will be insightful in understanding the self-assembly motion and transfer of synthetic macromolecules in confined space. It also provides a good indication for deciphering the macromolecule-nanopore interplay under electrophoretic condition (Ren et al. 2025).


 

References:

Ren, M., F. Qin, Y. Liu, D. Liu, R.P. Lopes, D. Astruc, and L. Liang. (2025). Single-molecule resolution of the conformation of polymers and dendrimers with solid-state nanopores. Talanta 286: 127544.