Ionic superfluidics: a perspective on emerging frameworks for ion transport in confined channels
Haoyang Ling, Xiang-Yu Kong, Liping Wen
Abstract
Biological ion channels demonstrate exceptional capabilities for ultrafast ion transport, a process essential to numerous physiological functions. Inspired by these natural systems, significant efforts have been devoted to developing artificial ion channels, with transport performance in some synthetic systems now approaching that of their biological counterparts. Nevertheless, a theoretical framework that adequately explains the physical origin of such ultrafast ion transport remains lacking. The introduction of the concept of macroscopic quantum states was of great significance, as it paved the way for understanding the ultrafast ion transport in confined environments. Drawing from this theory, we further elaborate on the potential mechanism enabling ultrafast ion transport in sub-nanoscale confined environments and extend it to the design of the future nanofluidic materials. This perspective not only provides a fundamental explanation for the observed ultrafast ion transport phenomena in sub-nanoscale confined spaces but also opens a new route for the design of next-generation nanofluidic materials and iontronic systems applied in advanced energy and information technologies.