Effect of Conical Nanopore Diameter on Ion Current Rectification

Asymmetric nanoscale conduits, such as conical track-etch pores, rectify ion current due to surface charge effects. To date, most data concerning this phenomenon have been obtained for small nanopores with diameters comparable to the electrical double layer thickness. Here, we systematically evaluate rectification for nanopores in poly(ethylene terephthalate) membranes with tip diameters of 10, 35, 85, and 380 nm. Current-voltage behavior is determined for buffer concentrations from 1 mM to 1 M and pHs 3.4 and 6.7. In general, ion current rectification increases with decreasing tip diameter, with decreasing ionic strength, and at higher pH. Surface charge contributes to increased pore conductivities compared to bulk buffer conductivities, though double layer overlap is not necessary for rectification to occur. Interestingly, the 35 nm pore exhibits a maximum rectification ratio for the 0.01 M buffer at pH 6.7, and the 380 nm pores exhibit nearly diodelike current-voltage curves when initially etched and strong rectification after the ion current has stabilized.