ABSTRACT

This chapter is focused on scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) studies of molecular transport in biological membranes and new membrane materials over the last decade. The transport of a probe molecule in the membrane can be monitored by employing different operation modes of SECM depending on the type of molecular transport. The induced mode of SECM is highly advantageous for the investigation of passive membrane transport. The power of SECM in studies of membrane transport originates from its capability to detect a target analyte with high redox or ion selectivity. SECM can be used to investigate fast molecular transport through solid-state nanopore membranes, which are not only highly porous but also extremely thin. The ultrathin nanoporous membranes can be nearly as thick (10–15 nm) as biological membranes and freestanding in aqueous solutions for various applications, including molecular separations and cell culture.