NER: Investigation of Molecular Stochastic Motion in a Nanofluidic Channel

利用标准MEMS技术制造的规则纳米流体通道，研究生物分子在受限空间内的随机运动。将在硅或聚合物衬底上设计和制造具有已知形状和深度（10~1000nm）的纳米流体通道，将分子运动限制在至少一个维度上，荧光相关光谱技术将跟踪单分子的随机运动。研究了约束效应或与德拜层相互作用引起的分子随机运动的变化。这一研究结果可以为理解细胞内有限空间内的生物分子运输提供见解。此外，它还可以为控制纳米结构中的分子提供新的思路，这在生物分子传感和分离方面有直接的应用。此外，纳米流体通道分子操纵的概念在各个科学和工程领域都有广泛的影响和应用。该项目由CTS的三个项目资助：颗粒和多相过程、热传输和热加工分离和净化过程

ABSTRACTCTS-0304106Jongyoon Han, MITStochastic motion of biomolecules within a confined space will be studied, using regular nanofluidic channels made by standard MEMS technology. Nanofluidic channels with known shape and depth (10~1000nm) will be designed and fabricated on Si or polymer substrates to confine molecular motion at least in one dimension, and the stochastic motion of single molecules will be followed by the fluorescence correlation spectroscopy technique. The changes in molecular stochastic motion, caused either by the confinement effect or the interaction with Debye layer, will be studied. The result of this research could provide insights in understanding biomolecular transport in the confined intracellular spaces. Also, it could generate new ideas for controlling molecules within nanostructures, which has a direct application in biomolecule sensing and separation. Also, the concept of molecular manipulation by nanofluidic channels could have broad impacts and applications in various science and engineering areas.The project is being funded by three programs in CTS:Particulate and Multiphase Processes Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing Separation and Purification Processes