A new procedure for measuring particle length using the resistive pulse technique with irregular single polymer micropores

ORAL

Abstract

Application of the resistive pulse technique using single micro- and nanopores is an effective way of characterizing some physical properties of nanoparticles including charge, concentration, and volume. In this work, we expand the resistive pulse technique by describing a procedure that can be used to distinguish particles of different lengths, and even measure the length of individual nanoparticles. The method works by translocating small spherical "tracer" particles through a a polymer pore with non-uniform radius, providing a one-to-one mapping of the local pore radius to the position-dependent current pulse amplitude. By calculating a weighted moving average of the tracer's pulse over a varying number of ion-current position data points, the signal becomes convoluted in the same way a rod's signal is the convolution of the local pore radius along the rod's length. Comparison of the rods' and convoluted tracers' signals allows for calculation of the particle length. Successful results from application of the procedure to distinguish two types of silica rods are shown.

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Authors

  • Preston Hinkle

    Univ of California - Irvine

  • Yinghua Qiu

    Univ of California - Irvine

  • Crystal Yang

    Univ of California - Irvine

  • Zuzanna Siwy

    Univ of California - Irvine

  • Chi-Yu Hu

    University of California - Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Caifornia State University, Long Beach, University of Michigan, Stockholm University, California State University, Long Beach, Utrecht University, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany, Hartnell Community College, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, GRAPPA, University of Amsterdam, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, California State University, Fresno, California State University Long Beach, Cal State Univ- Long Beach, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Rogensberg, Germany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, University of Victoria and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Universita del Sannio, Cal Tech, California State University, Los Angeles, Univ of California - San Diego, UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, Department of Chemistry and of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, SLAC National Laboratory, Humboldt State University, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of California - Merced

  • Chi-Yu Hu

    University of California - Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Caifornia State University, Long Beach, University of Michigan, Stockholm University, California State University, Long Beach, Utrecht University, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany, Hartnell Community College, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, GRAPPA, University of Amsterdam, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, California State University, Fresno, California State University Long Beach, Cal State Univ- Long Beach, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Rogensberg, Germany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, University of Victoria and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Universita del Sannio, Cal Tech, California State University, Los Angeles, Univ of California - San Diego, UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, Department of Chemistry and of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, SLAC National Laboratory, Humboldt State University, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of California - Merced