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Transportation of calcium ions through chemically modified nanochannels in a polymeric membrane

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Abstract

Synthetic ion channels fabricated on PET membrane are gaining considerable attention in the field of bioinspired devices. These bioinspired devices can mimic the gating functions of biological ion channels. In the present study, the synthesized nanochannels in the polymer membrane have been used for the transportation of the calcium ions through them under the influence of applied voltage(s). Ion irradiation followed by chemical etching has been used for the fabrication of the ion channels. Changes due to ion irradiation and chemical etching (with different etching rates) have been investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction techniques. The porous membrane obtained by etching for longer duration has been used for ions’ selection and calcium ions’ transportation. Aqueous calcium perchlorate electrolyte (with different concentrations), similar to the myocyte, has been used. The multiple-ion channels present in the membrane respond simultaneously and the resultant current is due to the transportation of the ions as an outcome of their interaction with the charges (COO−) present on the channelś’ walls. The transportation rate of cation(s) and the anion(s) accumulated outside the membrane (and hence the nanochannels) is reflected in the current behaviour. Effect of concentration as well as electrical gradient on the ion transportation has been studied. Ion current rectification behaviour of these voltage-gated calcium nanochannels with different anions has also been studied.

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Acknowledgements

The characterization facilities provided by University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC), University of Delhi is gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

The authors received the financial support by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Research Group Linkage programme), Germany. CSIR ((13(9052-A)/2019- Pool) for SN) and UGC (Senior Research Fellowship for SK) also provided financial support.

This chapter does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India

    Sangeeta Negi, Shilpa Khurana & Amita Chandra

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  1. Sangeeta Negi
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  2. Shilpa Khurana
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  3. Amita Chandra
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Correspondence to Amita Chandra.

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Negi, S., Khurana, S. & Chandra, A. Transportation of calcium ions through chemically modified nanochannels in a polymeric membrane. Ionics 28, 1219–1229 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-021-04391-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-021-04391-5

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