Towards mimicking natural protein channels with aligned carbon nanotube membranes for active drug delivery.
OBJECTIVE
Carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes offer an exciting opportunity to mimic natural protein channels due to 1) a mechanism of dramatically enhanced fluid flow 2) ability to place 'gatekeeper' chemistry at the entrance to pores 3) the ability for biochemical reactions to occur on gatekeeper molecules and 4) an ability to chemically functionalize each side of the membrane independently.


METHODS
Aligned CNT membranes were fabricated and CNT pore entrances modified with gatekeeper chemistry. Pressure driven fluid flow and diffusion experiments were performed to study the mechanisms of transport through CNTs.


RESULTS
The transport mechanism through CNT membranes is primarily 1) ionic diffusion near bulk expectation 2) gas flow enhanced 1-2 orders of magnitude primarily due to specular reflection 3) fluid flow 4-5 orders of magnitude faster than conventional materials due to a nearly ideal slip-boundary interface. The transport can be modulated by 'gatekeeper' chemistry at the pore entrance using steric hindrance, electrostatic attraction/repulsion, or biochemical state. The conformation of charged tethered molecules can be modulated by applied bias setting the stage for programmable drug release devices.


CONCLUSIONS
The membrane structure is mechanically far more robust than lipid bilayer films, allowing for large-scale chemical separations, delivery or sensing based on the principles of protein channels. The performance of protein channels is several orders of magnitude faster than conventional membrane materials. The fundamental requirements of mimicking protein channels are present in the CNT membrane system.
Majumder
Mainak
M
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40502-0046, United States.
Stinchcomb
Audra
A
Hinds
Bruce J
BJ
D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D004058:Diffusion; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism; D016062:Porosity
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations