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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Adsorption-induced polymer translocation through a nanopore: a Monte Carlo investigation

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Abstract We study the translocation of a coarse-grained flexible polymer through a nanopore in a membrane induced by its adsorption on the trans side of the membrane. Dramatic differences in the threading behavior are observed if the adhesion to the membrane wall, e w , is below or above the adsorption threshold e c r . For e w e c r (weak adsorption) the activation barrier for translocation is at c cis 0 ≈ N / 2 (in terms of the fraction of chain c cis = N cis / N before the pore), independent of chain length N. For e w > e c r this barrier is at a constant (vanishing) number of passed trans monomers for all N. The mean time of chain passage τ trans ∝ c cis 1.3 when c cis c cis 0 . It scales with chain length as τ trans ∝ N 2 ν + 1 for e w e c r , and as τ trans ∝ N 1.6 beyond the threshold e c r .