Controlling ionic current through a nanopore by tuning pH: a local equilibrium Monte Carlo study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this work is to create a model of a nanofluidic transistor which is able to mimic the effects of pH on nanopore conductance. The pH of the electrolyte is an experimentally controllable parameter through which the charge pattern can be tuned: pH affects the ratio of the protonated/deprotonated forms of the functional groups anchored to the surface of the nanopore (for example, amino and carboxyl groups). Thus, the behaviour of the bipolar transistor changes as it becomes ion selective in acidic/basic environments. We relate the surface charge to pH and perform particle simulations (Local Equilibrium Monte Carlo) with different nanopore geometries (cylindrical and double conical). The simulations form a self consistent system with the Nernst–Planck equation with which we compute ionic flux. We discuss the mechanism behind pH-control of ionic current: formation of depletion zones.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Nanopores
• Monte Carlo
• Nernst–Planck
• transistor
• pH

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Dezső Boda  http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3039-1247

Additional information

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office [NKFIH K124353]. We acknowledge the financial support of Széchenyi 2020 [EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00015].