Nanopore technologies play a pivotal role in the new generation of biomedical diagnostic applications, energy harvesting systems and environmental science. As the dimensions shrink down to the nano- or atomic scales, the ion and solution transport behaviors can no longer be described by classical electrokinetic theories. Deciphering nanoscale transport phenomena requires an emergence of new understandings that correlate theoretical predictions with experimental evidence and molecular dynamics simulation observations. Built upon this concept, in this talk three nonlinear electrokinetic phenomena occurring in nanoconfinements, being (i) viscoelectric effects in nanochannel electrokinetics [1], (ii) induced reverse electroosmotic flow [2] and (iii) transport-induced-charge electroosmosis [3], will be highlighted along with newly established theories elucidating the underlying mechanisms. It is shown that the resistive pulse sensing efficiency can be improved through the incorporation of these phenomena into nanopore sensing strategies.

References

[1] W.-L. Hsu, D. J. E. Harvie, M. R. Davidson, D. E. Dunstan, J. Hwang and H. Daiguji “Viscoelectric Effects in Nanochannel Electrokinetics,” The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121, 20517-20523 (2017).

[2] W.-L. Hsu and H. Daiguji “Manipulation of Protein Translocation through Nanopores by Flow Field Control and Application to Nanopore Sensors,” Analytical Chemistry 88, 9251-9258 (2016).

[3] W.-L. Hsu, J. Hwang and H. Daiguji “Theory of Transport-induced-charge Electroosmotic Pumping toward Alternating Current Resistive Pulse Sensing,” ACS Sensors 3, 2320-2326 (2018).

Biographical Sketch:

    Wei-Lun Hsu is a Lecturer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Tokyo, whose research interests extend over the areas of colloid and interface science, micro/nanofluidics, electrokinetics, bio-nanosensing and next generation air-conditioning technology. He received his B. S. and M. Sc. degrees in Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan University before earning his PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Melbourne in 2015. He then underwent his postdoctoral training with Professor Hirofumi Daiguji at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Tokyo and worked as a Research Associate in the same laboratory prior to his current position. In 2018, He was honored by the Young Scientist Award of International Association of Advanced Materials in Sweden.