Crowding effects in non-equilibrium transport through nano-channels

TL;DR

This paper investigates how crowding affects transport efficiency in nano-channels, combining theoretical models and simulations to better understand biological and artificial nano-device behavior.

Contribution

It introduces models of exclusion processes with a mean field approach and simulations to analyze crowding effects on nano-channel transport.

Findings

Crowding reduces mean flux and increases transport times.

Model predictions are robust across different hindered diffusion characteristics.

The study links microscopic interactions to macroscopic transport properties.

Abstract

Transport through nano-channels plays an important role in many biological processes and industrial applications. Gaining insights into the functioning of biological transport processes and the design of man-made nano-devices requires an understanding of the basic physics of such transport. A simple exclusion process has proven to be very useful in ex- plaining the properties of several artificial and biological nano-channels. It is particularly useful for modeling the influence of inter-particle interactions on transport characteristics. In this paper, we explore several models of the exclusion process using a mean field approach and computer simulations. We examine the effects of crowding inside the channel and its immediate vicinity on the mean flux and the transport times of single molecules. Finally, we discuss the robustness of the theory's predictions with respect to the crucial characteristics of the hindered diffusion in nano-channels that need to be included in the model.