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. 60 449-468Subject Categories
Physical Chemistry
DOI
10.1146/annurev.physchem.040808.090255