Optics and Precision Engineering, Volume. 17, Issue 6, 1403(2009)

Role of configurational entropy in molecular sieving through nanofilter arrays

LI Zi-rui1... LIU Gui-rong1,2, HAN Jongyoon3, WANG Jian-sheng1,4, and CHEN Yu-zong15 |Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1The Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA),Singapore 117576
  • 2Department of Mechanical Engineering,National University of Singapore,Singapore 117576
  • 3Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
  • 4Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117542
  • 5Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore 117543
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    This article proposes a theoretical model of molecular sieving through repeated nanofilter arrays consisting of alternative deep and shallow regions. The role of configurational entropy,which arises from the inaccessibility of some configurations of the molecule in the confined space of nanochannel,is clarified explicitly. It is demonstrated that the configurational entropy difference of anisotropic biomolecules of different sizes dominates the complex partitioning of these molecules over the nanofilter array. In addition,the relationship between the effective mobility and the nanofilter geometries,molecular transport parameters,and the strength of electric fields are described rigorously.As an example,the mobilities for 50,150 and 300 bp DNA molecules are calculated using this model,which matches the experimental data with a error less than 5%. This simplified model allows for fast analysis of nanofilter separation systems,without the need of complicated numerical simulations and physical experiments.

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    LI Zi-rui, LIU Gui-rong, HAN Jongyoon, WANG Jian-sheng, CHEN Yu-zong. Role of configurational entropy in molecular sieving through nanofilter arrays[J]. Optics and Precision Engineering, 2009, 17(6): 1403

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    Paper Information

    Received: Jan. 20, 2009

    Accepted: --

    Published Online: Aug. 28, 2009

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