Nanopore

Voltage

Engineering

Chemical physics

Biology

Materials science

Molecule

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Rectification

Gating

Chemistry

Biophysics

Electrical engineering

Journal of the American Chemical Society

Nanopores and nanochannels are ubiquitous, from biological systems to various artificial materials. Taking advantage of size confinement and tailoring the interior components, numerous functions can be achieved such as selectivity, gating, rectification, and so on, which result from diverse interactions between ion/molecule and nanopore/nanochannel. In this Perspective, on account of the summarized critical principles, namely size/shape, wettability, charge, recognition, and other interactions during ion/molecule transportation in nanopores and nanochannels, we introduce four main sections of applications: selective transportation in separation, controllable gating systems, energy conversion devices, and sensors. In addition, some typical challenges and possible future research endeavors in the related fields will also be discussed.

Ion/Molecule Transportation in Nanopores and Nanochannels: From Critical Principles to Diverse Functions