Membrane transport systems, biomimetic controlled

Figure 2. Biomimetic controlled membrane transport systems.

For electrode (conductor/semiconductor) surfaces, mass transport can be controlled with a variety of experimental protocols and the interfacial flux is measured directly via the current response (measured as a function of potential, time, etc.) [1], This is not true of other interfaces, such as minerals and many biomimetic surfaces in contact with the solution. In these instances, fluxes have often been deduced in a convoluted time- and space-averaged manner by determining the accumulation/loss of material in a bulk phase as a function of time. This leads to a considerable loss of dynamic resolution. Furthermore, in some systems, mass transport between the bulk and the interface is difficult to estimate, leading to incorrect mechanistic interpretation, with major implications for practical applications, whether this concerns drug transport across cell membranes or the growth of crystals. 

---