Effective Modulation of Ion Mobility through Solid-State Single-Digit Nanopores

Many experimental studies have proved that ion dynamics in a single-digit nanopore with dimensions comparable to the Debye length deviate from the bulk values, but we still have critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of ion transport in nanoconfinement. For many energy devices and sensor designs of nanoporous materials, ion mobility is a key parameter for the performance of nanofluidic equipment. However, investigating ion mobility remains an experimental challenge. This study experimentally investigated the monovalent ion dynamics of single-digit nanopores from the perspective of ionic conductance. In this article, we present a theory that is sufficient for a basic understanding of ion transport through a single-digit nanopore, and we subdivided and separately analyzed the contribution of each conductance component. These conclusions will be useful not only in understanding the behavior of ion migration but also in the design of high-performance nanofluidic devices.

Automated summary

Experimental studies have shown that ion dynamics in single-digit nanopores of comparable dimensions to the Debye length deviate from bulk values, but there are still knowledge gaps in understanding ion transport in nanoconfinement. This study investigated the dynamics of monovalent ions in single-digit nanopores from the perspective of ionic conductance, providing a basic understanding and analysis of each conductance component.