The international group of researchers from the Leibniz Institute Dresden (IFW), the Technische Universität Dresden, the Polish Academy of Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University and the Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics, an Institute of Basic Science (Korea) used pores in mono - layer graphene to form free standing 2D iron (Fe) single atom thick membranes. (sciencedaily.com)
In thicker membranes, the building blocks of the membrane (polymers) must be able to condense around the channel proteins in order to alter their fixed size. (sciencedaily.com)
The researchers at the University of Basel have now been able to measure this in a practical experiment for the first time, demonstrating that the thicker the membrane, the slower the movement of the channel protein is in comparison to the movement of the actual polymers that form the membrane. (sciencedaily.com)