Direct observation of water-mediated single-proton transport between hBN surface defects
Direct observation of water-mediated single-proton transport between hBN surface defects
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水介导的单质子在hBN表面缺陷间输运的直接观察
DOI：
10.1038/s41565-020-0695-4
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发表时间：
2020-05-25
影响因子：
38.3
通讯作者：
Radenovic, Aleksandra
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Comtet, Jean;Grosjean, Benoit;Radenovic, Aleksandra
二维材料缺陷的超分辨率显微镜揭示了单质子电荷在固体/水界面的传输。界面处的水质子传输是普遍存在的，并且对许多领域至关重要，从细胞传输和信号传导到催化和膜科学。然而，由于它们的质量轻，尺寸小和高化学反应性，在室温和水环境中揭示单个质子的表面传输迄今为止仍然是传统的原子尺度表面科学技术，如扫描隧道显微镜所无法达到的。在这里，我们使用单分子局域化显微镜来解决在室温下的六方氮化硼晶体和水溶液的界面处的单个过剩质子的光学传输。单个过剩质子的轨迹揭示了连续质子化和激活的光学活性缺陷在晶体表面。我们的观察表明，在单分子尺度上，固体/水界面提供了一个优先的横向质子传输的途径，在液体界面的分子电荷传输具有广泛的影响。
Super-resolution microscopy of defects in a two-dimensional material unveils the transport of single proton charges at solid/water interfaces.Aqueous proton transport at interfaces is ubiquitous and crucial for a number of fields, ranging from cellular transport and signalling, to catalysis and membrane science. However, due to their light mass, small size and high chemical reactivity, uncovering the surface transport of single protons at room temperature and in an aqueous environment has so far remained out-of-reach of conventional atomic-scale surface science techniques, such as scanning tunnelling microscopy. Here, we use single-molecule localization microscopy to resolve optically the transport of individual excess protons at the interface of hexagonal boron nitride crystals and aqueous solutions at room temperature. Single excess proton trajectories are revealed by the successive protonation and activation of optically active defects at the surface of the crystal. Our observations demonstrate, at the single-molecule scale, that the solid/water interface provides a preferential pathway for lateral proton transport, with broad implications for molecular charge transport at liquid interfaces.