Malachite Green Derivative–Functionalized Single Nanochannel: Light-and-pH Dual-Driven Ionic Gating

1. Liping Wen¹, 
2. Qian Liu², 
3. Jie Ma¹, 
4. Ye Tian¹,
5. Cuihong Li², 
6. Zhishan Bo^2,*, 
7. Lei Jiang^1,*

Article first published online: 29 NOV 2012

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201290291

An efficient and reversible ionic gating that can be activated by pH and light is demonstrated on page 6193 by Lei Jiang, Zhishan Bo, and co-workers, by modifying a malachite green derivative on the interior surface of an ion track-etched conical nanochannel. The switches between the OFF-state and the ON-state are dependent on the surface charge transition caused by the malachite green derivative, making it suitable for confined spaces. Such a dual-driven ionic gating could find applications in electronics, actuators, and biosensors.