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Zhang X, Hu N, Wang Y, Zhao Y, Wang D. Effect of Membrane Thickness on Ion Transport in pH-Regulated Zero-Depth Interfacial Nanopores. Anal Chem 2024; 96:11009-11017. [PMID: 38934578 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Zero-depth interfacial nanopores, which are formed by two crossed nanoscale channels at their intersection interface, have been proposed to increase the spatial resolution of solid-state nanopores. However, research on zero-depth interfacial nanopores is still in its early stages. Although it has been shown that the current passing through an interfacial nanopore is largely independent of the membrane thickness, existing studies have not fully considered the impact of membrane thickness on other ion transport characteristics within these nanopores. In this paper, we investigate the electrokinetic ion transport phenomenon in the zero-depth interfacial nanopores, especially focusing on the influence of membrane thickness on the ion transport phenomenon. Our model incorporates the Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations and the Navier-Stokes equations, featuring a pH-regulated surface charge density. We find that when the thickness of the nanochannels is close to the interface size of the formed interfacial nanopore, the phenomenon of ion transport in the interfacial nanopore is similar to that in a conventional cylindrical nanopore. However, when the thickness of the nanochannels is much greater than the interface size of the formed interfacial nanopore, several distinct phenomena occur. The surface charge density on the inner walls of the interfacial nanopores has a small peak at the interface of the two crossing nanochannels, and the anion concentration changes greatly between the two nanochannels; that is, a much greater anion concentration forms in the nanochannel near the anode side than in the nanochannel near the cathode side. When the surface charge is nonzero, the electric field within the interfacial nanopore creates three extreme points, and the directions of the local electric fields are opposite at the ends of the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Zhang
- School of Smart Health, Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, Chongqing 401331, P. R. China
| | - Ning Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education and Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yunjiao Wang
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China
| | - Yun Zhao
- School of Smart Health, Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, Chongqing 401331, P. R. China
| | - Deqiang Wang
- Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China
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2
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Nekoubin N, Hardt S, Sadeghi A. Improved ionic current rectification utilizing cylindrical nanochannels coated with polyelectrolyte layers of non-uniform thickness. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3641-3652. [PMID: 38623003 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00123k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Conical nanochannels employed to create ionic current rectification (ICR) in nanofluidic devices are prone to clogging due to the contraction at one end. As an alternative approach for creating ICR, a cylindrical nanochannel covered with a polyelectrolyte layer (PEL) of variable thickness is proposed in the present study. The efficacy of the proposed design is studied by numerically solving the governing equations including the Poisson, Nernst-Planck, and Stokes-Brinkman equations. Furthermore, the fundamental mechanism behind ICR is explained using a simplified one-dimensional model. The effects of the nanochannel radius, concentration of PEL fixed charges, and bulk ionic concentration on the rectification factor are then investigated in detail. It is shown that the proposed nanochannel provides larger rectification factors as compared to conical nanochannels over wide ranges of the fixed charge concentration and bulk ionic concentration. Such a performance can be achieved even at channel radii much larger than the tip radius of conical nanochannels, indicating not only the better performance of the proposed nanochannel but also its likely longer service life, because of reducing the probability of total ionic current blockage. This means that the proposed nanochannel could find widespread use in fluidic devices, as a replacement for conical nanofluidic diodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Nekoubin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
| | - Steffen Hardt
- Institute for Nano- and Microfluidics, TU Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Arman Sadeghi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj 66177-15175, Iran.
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3
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Liu S, Zhang X, Yang Y, Hu N. Ion Transport in Multi-Nanochannels Regulated by pH and Ion Concentration. Anal Chem 2024; 96:5648-5657. [PMID: 38556994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Nanochannels are a powerful technique for detecting a wide range of biomolecules without labeling. The ion transport phenomena in nanochannel arrays differ from those in single nanochannels and are caused by interchannel communication. This study uses a fully coupled Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) and Navier-Stokes model to investigate ion transport in nanochannel arrays. Instead of being set at a constant value, the surface charge density used in this study is established by the protonation and deprotonation of the silanol groups that are present on the walls of the silicon-based nanochannels. The surface charge density of the nanochannel walls varies with the number of nanochannels, the channel lateral distance, and the background solution properties, which consequently influence the ionic concentration distribution, flow velocity, and electric field strength. For example, in different numbers of nanochannel systems, the ion concentration in nanochannels is not much different, but it is different in reservoirs, especially near the openings of nanochannels. The number of nanochannels and the distance between nanochannels can also affect the formation of electro-convective vortex zones under certain conditions. These findings can aid in optimizing the nanochannel array design by regulating the number and distance of nanochannels and facilitating the construction of solid-state nanochannel arrays with any desired nanochannel dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education and Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
- School of Safety Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- School of Smart Health, Chongqing College of Electronic Engineering, Chongqing 401331, P. R. China
| | - Yuanjian Yang
- School of Safety Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, P. R. China
| | - Ning Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education and Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
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Liu P, Kong XY, Jiang L, Wen L. Ion transport in nanofluidics under external fields. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:2972-3001. [PMID: 38345093 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00367a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Nanofluidic channels with tailored ion transport dynamics are usually used as channels for ion transport, to enable high-performance ion regulation behaviors. The rational construction of nanofluidics and the introduction of external fields are of vital significance to the advancement and development of these ion transport properties. Focusing on the recent advances of nanofluidics, in this review, various dimensional nanomaterials and their derived homogeneous/heterogeneous nanofluidics are first briefly introduced. Then we discuss the basic principles and properties of ion transport in nanofluidics. As the major part of this review, we focus on recent progress in ion transport in nanofluidics regulated by external physical fields (electric field, light, heat, pressure, etc.) and chemical fields (pH, concentration gradient, chemical reaction, etc.), and reveal the advantages and ion regulation mechanisms of each type. Moreover, the representative applications of these nanofluidic channels in sensing, ionic devices, energy conversion, and other areas are summarized. Finally, the major challenges that need to be addressed in this research field and the future perspective of nanofluidics development and practical applications are briefly illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Liu
- Henan Institute of Advanced Technology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Yu Kong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, P. R. China
| | - Liping Wen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
- School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
- Suzhou Institute for Advanced Research, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P. R. China
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, P. R. China
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5
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Zhang X, Lin M, Dai Y, Xia F. Stochastic Sensing of Dynamic Interactions and Chemical Reactions with Nanopores/Nanochannels. Anal Chem 2023. [PMID: 37413795 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Nanopore sensing technology is an emerging analysis method with the advantages of simple operation, high sensitivity, fast output and being label free, and it is widely used in protein analysis, gene sequencing, biomarker detection, and other fields. The confined space of the nanopore provides a place for dynamic interactions and chemical reactions between substances. The use of nanopore sensing technology to track these processes in real time is helpful to understand the interaction/reaction mechanism at the single-molecule level. According to nanopore materials, we summarize the development of biological nanopores and solid-state nanopores/nanochannels in the stochastic sensing of dynamic interactions and chemical reactions. The goal of this paper is to stimulate the interest of researchers and promote the development of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Meihua Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Fan Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Ratschow AD, Pandey D, Liebchen B, Bhattacharyya S, Hardt S. Resonant Nanopumps: ac Gate Voltages in Conical Nanopores Induce Directed Electrolyte Flow. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:264501. [PMID: 36608199 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.264501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Inducing transport in electrolyte-filled nanopores with dc fields has led to influential applications ranging from nanosensors to DNA sequencing. Here we use the Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Navier-Stokes equations to show that unbiased ac fields can induce comparable directional flows in gated conical nanopores. This flow exclusively occurs at intermediate driving frequencies and hinges on the resonance of two competing timescales, representing space charge development at the ends and in the interior of the pore. We summarize the physics of resonant nanopumping in an analytical model that reproduces the results of numerical simulations. Our findings provide a generic route toward real-time controllable flow patterns, which might find applications in controlling the translocation of small molecules or nanocolloids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Ratschow
- Institute for Nano- and Microfluidics, TU Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 10, D-64237 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Doyel Pandey
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India-721302
| | - Benno Liebchen
- Theory of Soft Matter, Department of Physics, TU Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 12, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Somnath Bhattacharyya
- Department of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India-721302
| | - Steffen Hardt
- Institute for Nano- and Microfluidics, TU Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 10, D-64237 Darmstadt, Germany
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7
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Zhang X, Xu M, Yang J, Hu N. Ion Transport in pH-Regulated Double-Barreled Nanopores. Anal Chem 2022; 94:5642-5650. [PMID: 35352923 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule detection and characterization with nanopores is a powerful technique that does not require labeling. Multinanopore systems, especially double nanopores, have attracted wide attention and have been applied in many fields. However, theoretical studies of electrokinetic ion transport in nanopores mainly focus on single nanopores. In this paper, for the first time, a theoretical study of pH-regulated double-barreled nanopores is conducted using three-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations and Navier-Stokes equations. Four ionic species and the surface chemistry on the walls of the nanopores are included. The results demonstrate that the properties of the bulk salt solution significantly affect nanopore conductivity and ion transport phenomena in nanopores. There are two ion-enriched zones and two ion-depleted zones in double-barreled nanopores. Due to the symmetry of the double-barreled nanopore structure and surface charge density, there is no ionic rectification effect in double-barreled nanopores. The ion selectivity is similar to that of conventional single pH-regulated nanopores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, P. R. China.,Chongqing School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China.,Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, P. R. China
| | - Mengli Xu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, P. R. China
| | - Jun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, P. R. China
| | - Ning Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, P. R. China
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8
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Improved Rectification and Osmotic Power in Polyelectrolyte-Filled Mesopores. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11100949. [PMID: 33096718 PMCID: PMC7589000 DOI: 10.3390/mi11100949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Ample studies have shown the use of nanofluidics in the ionic diode and osmotic power generation, but similar ionic devices performed with large-sized mesopores are still poorly understood. In this study, we model and realize the mesoscale ionic diode and osmotic power generator, composed of an asymmetric cone-shaped mesopore with its narrow opening filled with a polyelectrolyte (PE) layer with high space charges. We show that, only when the space charge density of a PE layer is sufficiently large (>1×106 C/m3), the considered mesopore system is able to create an asymmetric ionic distributions in the pore and then rectify ionic current. As a result, the output osmotic power performance can be improved when the filled PE carries sufficiently high space charges. For example, the considered PE-filled mesopore system can show an amplification of the osmotic power of up to 35.1-fold, compared to the bare solid-state mesopore. The findings provide necessary information for the development of large-sized ionic diode and osmotic power harvesting device.
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9
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Peng PH, Ou Yang HC, Tsai PC, Yeh LH. Thermal Dependence of the Mesoscale Ionic Diode: Modeling and Experimental Verification. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:17139-17146. [PMID: 32182421 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c02214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mesoscale ionic diodes, which can rectify ionic current at conditions at which their pore size is larger than 100 nm and thus over 100 times larger than the Debye length, have been recently discovered with potential applications in ionic circuits as well as osmotic power generation. Compared with the conventional nanoscale ionic diodes, the mesoscale ionic diodes can offer much higher conductance, ionic current resolution, and power generated. However, the thermal response, which has been proven playing a crucial role in nanofluidic devices, of the mesoscale ionic diode remains significantly unexplored. Here, we report the thermal dependence of the mesoscale ionic diode comprising a conical pore with a tip opening diameter of ∼400 nm. To capture its underlying physics more accurately, our model takes into account the practical equilibrium chemistry reaction of functional carboxyl groups on the pore surface. Modeling results predict that in the mesoscale ionic diode prepared currents increase but the performance decreases with the increase of temperature, which is consistent with our experimental data and indicates that the ion transport properties apparently depend on the presence of highly mobile hydroxide ions. The results gathered can provide important guidance for the design of new mesoscale ionic diodes, enriching their applications in thermoelectric power and thermoresponsive chemical sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsien Peng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Chiao Ou Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ching Tsai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
| | - Li-Hsien Yeh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan
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Lin CY, Wong PH, Wang PH, Siwy ZS, Yeh LH. Electrodiffusioosmosis-Induced Negative Differential Resistance in pH-Regulated Mesopores Containing Purely Monovalent Solutions. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:3198-3204. [PMID: 31846283 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b18524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Negative differential resistance (NDR) refers to a unique electrical property where current decreases with increasing voltage. Herein, we report experimental evidence showing that the NDR effect can be observed in mesopores that feature charged pore walls and are subjected to a KCl concentration gradient. NDR in our system originates from the solution and ion flows driven by the synergistic effects of electroosmosis [electroosmotic flow (EOF)] and diffusioosmosis, the so-called electrodiffusioosmosis. Experiments reveal that in addition to the ion current rectification, the mesopores considered here exhibit the NDR phenomenon that is dependent on the magnitude and direction of the salinity gradient and on pH. The NDR behavior can be observed only at conditions at which the EOF and diffusioosmosis occur in the opposite directions: diffusioosmosis fills the tip opening with a high concentration solution, while EOF brings a low concentration solution to the pore. All experimental findings are supported by our numerical model, which takes into account the interfacial site reactions of acidic and basic functional groups on the entire pore membrane surfaces. Our results provide an important insight into how liquid pH, salinity gradients, interfacial site reactions, and pore geometries can influence the current-voltage characteristics of mesopores, enriching transport modes that can be induced by voltage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yuan Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering , National Taiwan University of Science and Technology , Taipei 10607 , Taiwan
- Department of Chemical Engineering , National Taiwan University , Taipei 10617 , Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hsuan Wong
- Department of Chemical Engineering , National Taiwan University of Science and Technology , Taipei 10607 , Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hsin Wang
- Bright Shetland International Company, Ltd. , New Taipei City 22101 , Taiwan
| | | | - Li-Hsien Yeh
- Department of Chemical Engineering , National Taiwan University of Science and Technology , Taipei 10607 , Taiwan
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