Designing artificial ion channels with strict K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity toward next-generation electric-eel-mimetic ionic power generation.

ABSTRACT: A biological potassium channel is >1000 times more permeable to K⁺ than to Na⁺ and exhibits a giant permeation rate of ∼10⁸ ions/s. It is a great challenge to construct artificial potassium channels with such high selectivity and ion conduction rate. Herein, we unveil a long-overlooked structural feature that underpins the ultra-high K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity. By carrying out massive molecular dynamics simulation for ion transport through carbonyl-oxygen-modified bi-layer graphene nanopores, we find that the twisted carbonyl rings enable strict potassium selectivity with a dynamic K⁺/Na⁺ selectivity ratio of 1295 and a K⁺ conduction rate of 3.5 × 10⁷ ions/s, approaching those of the biological count

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10632797 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature