Size dependent forced polymer partitioning into channels: Polymer Mixtures in Thermodynamic Equilibrium with Nanopores

I will discuss how nonideal polymer mixtures of PEGs of different molecular weights partition differently into nanosize protein channels and present a theoretical approach to forced partitioning for three structurally different channels The basic statement is that relatively less penetrating polymers push the more easily penetrating ones into nanosize channels in excess of their bath concentration Comparison of the theory with experiments is excellent for VDAC Polymer partitioning data for the other two channels are consistent with theory if additional assumptions regarding the energy penalty of pore penetration are included The obtained results demonstrate that the general concept of polymers pushing polymers is helpful in understanding and quantification of concrete examples of size dependent forced partitioning of polymers into protein nanopores Refreshments are served at 14:45