How a polymer filling enhances the rate and selectivity of colloid permeation across mesopores
Abstract
Polymer-functionalised mesopores are an emerging technology for colloid separation, sensing and delivery. Their potential is strikingly illustrated in living cells, where nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) control biocolloid transport between the nucleus and the cytosol. Even colloids much smaller than the biopolymer-filled NPC channel are effectively blocked, but some larger colloids with distinct surface features rapidly permeate. Simplistically, one may expect any polymer filling to obstruct and slow down colloid transport. We demonstrate how a polymer filling that attracts colloids and extends beyond the mesopore, thus maximizing colloid capture, can instead increase permeation compared to a bare pore. We also define how polymer-filled mesopores can effectively gate colloids according to their size and surface features. Our findings provide a basic physical explanation for the exquisite permselectivity of NPCs, and a rational design strategy for novel mesopore-based separation, sensing, catalysis and drug delivery devices with enhanced performance features.
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BibTeX
@misc{laktionov2026polymer,
title = {{How a polymer filling enhances the rate and selectivity of colloid permeation across mesopores}},
author = {Mikhail Y. Laktionov and Frans A. M. Leermakers and Ralf P. Richter and Leonid I. Klushin and Oleg V. Borisov},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2608.27995},
eprint = {2608.27995},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27995},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - How a polymer filling enhances the rate and selectivity of colloid permeation across mesopores
AU - Mikhail Y. Laktionov
AU - Frans A. M. Leermakers
AU - Ralf P. Richter
AU - Leonid I. Klushin
AU - Oleg V. Borisov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/28
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2608.27995
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27995
AB - Polymer-functionalised mesopores are an emerging technology for colloid separation, sensing and delivery. Their potential is strikingly illustrated in living cells, where nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) control biocolloid transport between the nucleus and the cytosol. Even colloids much smaller than the biopolymer-filled NPC channel are effectively blocked, but some larger colloids with distinct surface features rapidly permeate. Simplistically, one may expect any polymer filling to obstruct and slow down colloid transport. We demonstrate how a polymer filling that attracts colloids and extends beyond the mesopore, thus maximizing colloid capture, can instead increase permeation compared to a bare pore. We also define how polymer-filled mesopores can effectively gate colloids according to their size and surface features. Our findings provide a basic physical explanation for the exquisite permselectivity of NPCs, and a rational design strategy for novel mesopore-based separation, sensing, catalysis and drug delivery devices with enhanced performance features.
ER -