Abstract: The translocation of polymer chains through nanotubes or nanopores is an important phenomenon which is highly concerned in physics, chemistry, and biology. It is of potential applications in life process and technology eld, and extensive experimental, theoretical, and simulation investiga- tions on this phenomenon have been carried out. This review article summarizes the latest theo- retical and simulation progress on the polymer translocation, and discusses the dynamic process of polymer chain translocation in the framework of translocation time. Based on the theoreti- cal calculations and simulations, the dependence of free energy landscape on the polymer-pore interaction, composition and charge distribution of polymer chain, details of nanopores, and tem- perature are discussed and compared with the predictions of free energy landscape. The results are helpful for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and controlling approaches of polymer translocation.

Key words: Polymer chain; Nanopore; Nanotube; Translocation; Computer simulation