Entropically-induced asymmetric passage times of charged tracers across corrugated channels

TL;DR

This paper investigates how geometrical confinement and electrostatic interactions influence the asymmetric passage times of charged and neutral tracers in corrugated channels, revealing potential methods to control tracer translocation.

Contribution

The study introduces a simplified 1D effective equation for tracer diffusion in varying channels, highlighting the impact of electrostatics and geometry on mean first passage times.

Findings

Charged tracers exhibit asymmetric MFPTs in opposite directions in asymmetric channels.

Electrostatic interactions significantly alter tracer translocation times.

The approach provides insights relevant for biological and synthetic systems.

Abstract

We analyze the diffusion of charged and neutral tracers suspended in an electrolyte embedded in a channel of varying cross-section. Making use of systematic approximations, the diffusion equation governing the motion of tracers is mapped into an effective $1D$ equation describing the dynamics along the longitudinal axis of the channel where its varying-section is encoded as an effective entropic potential. This simplified approach allows us to characterize tracer diffusion under generic confinement by measuring their mean first passage time (MFPT). In particular, we show that the interplay between geometrical confinement and electrostatic interactions strongly affect the MFTP of tracers across corrugated channels hence leading to alternative means to control tracers translocation across charged pores. Finally, our results show that the MFPTs of a charged tracer in opposite directions along an asymmetric channel may differ. We expect our results to be relevant for biological as well synthetic devices whose dynamics is controlled by the detection of diluted tracers.