title: Lipid nanotube formation using space-regulated electric field above interdigitated electrodes.
abstract: Lipid nanotubes have great potential in biology and nanotechnology. Here we demonstrate a method to form lipid nanotubes using space-regulated AC electric fields above coplanar interdigitated electrodes. The AC electric field distribution can be regulated by solution height above the electrodes. The ratio of field component in x axis (Ex) to field component in z axis (Ez) increases dramatically at solution height below 50 μm; therefore, at lower solution height, the force from Ex predominantly drives lipids to form lipid nanotubes along with the electric field direction. The forces exerted on the lipid nanotube during its formation were analyzed in detail, and an equation was obtained to describe the relationship among nanotube length and field frequency, amplitude, and time. We believe that the presented approach opens a way to design and prepare nanoscale materials with unique structural and functional properties using space-regulated electric fields.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology , Harbin 150001, China.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Dingguo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D017971:Tin Compounds; C109984:indium tin oxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide