Controlling Chemistry by Geometry in Nanoscale Systems
Journal article, 2009

Scientific literature dealing with the rates, mechanisms,and thermodynamic properties of chemical reactions in condensed media almost exclusively assumes that reactions take place in volumes that do not change over time. The reaction volumes are compact (such as a sphere, a cube, or a cylinder) and do not vary in shape. In this review article, we discuss two important systems at small length scales (similar to 10 nm to 5 mu m), in which these basic assumptions are violated. The first system exists in cell biology and is represented by the tiniest functional components (i.e., single cells, organelles, and other physically delineated cellular microenvironments). The second system comprises nanofluidic devices, in particular devices made from soft-matter materials such as lipid nanotube-vesicle networks. In these two systems, transport, mixing, and shape changes can be achieved it or very close to thermal energy levels. In further contrast to macroscopic systems, mixing by diffusion is extremely efficient, and kinetics can be controlled by shape and volume changes.

living

nanofluidics

biomimetic

lipid nanotubes

nanotube-vesicle networks

mitochondrial inner membrane

diffusion

nanotubes

enzymatic-reactions

shape

glycogen-synthesis

volume regulatory mechanisms

cells

ultrastructural bases

signaling networks

soft-matter nanotechnology

Author

Ludvig Lizana

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Zoran Konkoli

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Electronics Material and Systems

Brigitte Bauer

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Aldo Jesorka

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Owe Orwar

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Annual Review of Physical Chemistry

0066-426X (ISSN) 1545-1593 (eISSN)

Vol. 60 449-468

Subject Categories

Physical Chemistry

DOI

10.1146/annurev.physchem.040808.090255

More information

Created

10/8/2017