NER: Electroosmotic Flow and Single Molecule Trapping in Hybrid Nanochannels

建议ID：0507903Ttile：NER：混合纳米通道中的电渗流和单分子捕获PI：Deyu LiInst：Vanderbilt University纳米流体学，研究纳米尺度系统中的流体行为和运动，仍处于初级阶段。生物分子传感、测序和分离迫切需要在这一领域取得重大进展。我们将用不同的壁材料制备杂化纳米通道，研究这些纳米通道中的电渗流，并探索这些纳米通道主动捕获单个生物分子的可行性。这项工作是基于PI在纳米技术和流体力学方面的先前经验。PI将开发制造两种类型的纳米通道的制造工艺：SiO_2通道和以SiO_2和Al_2O_3为壁材的混合通道。将通过测量电流和检测荧光信号来研究这些纳米通道中的电渗流。理论预测将被用来解释实验观测结果。PI将使用这些纳米通道来探索世界上最小的纳米通道内的再循环流动。该研究将促进人们对纳米限制电渗流的理解，并为单分子生物分子在纳米通道内的操纵提供可行性研究，这将拓展药物发现研究的前沿。

ABSTRACTProposal ID: 0507903Ttile: NER: Electroosmotic flow and Single Molecule Trapping in Hybrid NanochannelsPI: Deyu LiInst: Vanderbilt UniversityNanofluidics, the study of fluid behavior and motion in nanoscale systems, is still in its infancy. Significant advances in this field are urgently needed for biomolecular sensing, sequencing, and separation. We will fabricate hybrid nanochannels with different wall materials, investigate electroosmotic flow in these nanochannels, and explore the feasibility of active trapping of single biomolecules with these nanochannels.The proposed work is based on the PIs' previous experience in nanotechnology and fluid mechanics. The PIs will develop the fabrication process to make two types of nanochannels: SiO2 channels and hybrid channels with both SiO2 and Al2O3 as wall materials. Electroosmotic flow inside these nanochannels will be investigated by measuring the electric current and detecting fluorescent signals. Theoretical predictions will be carried out to explain the experimental observations. The PIs will use these nanochannels to explore the world's smallest recirculation flow inside nanochannels. The proposed research will advance the understanding of electroosmotic flow with nano-confinement and provide a feasibility study for single biomolecule manipulation inside nanochannels, which will extend the frontier of drug discovery research.