Modulated enhancement in ion transport through carbon nanotubes by lipid decoration

Biomimetic channels based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with fast and selective transport have attractive applications in many fields. In this work, a remarkable and modulated enhancement in the ion transport rate through CNTs is facilitated by means of lipid decoration, by a factor of up to 20 times. A type of CNT membrane is firstly prepared, composed of well aligned multi-wall carbon nanotubes with an inner size of ∼10 nm. An inter-diffusion method is used to efficiently incorporate lipids within the CNTs. It is found that the lipid phase state as well as the surface property of the tubes’ inner walls corporately determine the assembly behavior, such as location and stability of lipids, which further influence the ion transport rate through the tubes. For example, the incorporation and self-assembly of liquid-phase DOPC and polymerized Diyne-PC within the tubes induces an enhancement in steady ion transport rate through CNTs by a factor of 5 and 20 times, respectively. In contrast, the gel-phase DPPC prefers to stay at tube tips, which increases the ion transport rate during the initial stage only. This work provides a practical guide to regulate the ion transport behaviors through CNTs for versatile applications.