Biomimetic nanopores from atomically thin membranes

Biological cells are filled with a variety of pores and channels that transport ions and molecules across the cell membrane. These passageways are vital to cell function and remarkably effective due to their high selectivity, high flux, and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. This level of control is extremely attractive for applications ranging from biotechnology to energy and the environment. In this thesis, the unique properties of two dimensional materials are utilized to create solid-state nanopores that closely mimic the function of biological ion channels. Ionic conductance measurements were used to demonstrate that nanopores introduced into graphene membranes exhibit K+/Na+ selectivity and can modulate the ionic current with an applied gate voltage. These devices are shown to respond to low gate voltages (