Towards explicit regulating-ion-transport: nanochannels with only function-elements at outer-surface

Function elements (FE) are vital components of nanochannel-systems for artificially regulating ion transport. Conventionally, the FE at inner wall (FE(IW)) of nanochannel(−)systems are of concern owing to their recognized effect on the compression of ionic passageways. However, their properties are inexplicit or generally presumed from the properties of the FE at outer surface (FE(OS)), which will bring potential errors. Here, we show that the FE(OS) independently regulate ion transport in a nanochannel(−)system without FE(IW). The numerical simulations, assigned the measured parameters of FE(OS) to the Poisson and Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations, are well fitted with the experiments, indicating the generally explicit regulating-ion-transport accomplished by FE(OS) without FE(IW). Meanwhile, the FE(OS) fulfill the key features of the pervious nanochannel systems on regulating-ion-transport in osmotic energy conversion devices and biosensors, and show advantages to (1) promote power density through concentrating FE at outer surface, bringing increase of ionic selectivity but no obvious change in internal resistance; (2) accommodate probes or targets with size beyond the diameter of nanochannels. Nanochannel-systems with only FE(OS) of explicit properties provide a quantitative platform for studying substrate transport phenomena through nanoconfined space, including nanopores, nanochannels, nanopipettes, porous membranes and two-dimensional channels.