Two-dimensional nanofluidic channels towards ion transport

The emerging 2D nanofluidic membranes have attracted strong interest for ion transport due to the emergence of anomalous fluid phenomena and the potential applications such as energy storage and conversion, seawater desalination and biological systems. Gaining insight into the interactions between the ions and the walls of the 2D nanofluidic channels prompts the fabrication of nanofluidic systems with intriguing properties and unexpected new phenomena. This perspective summarizes the structural characteristics of 2D nanofluidic membranes that affect the ion transport and introduces the main strategies to improve the ion conductivity and selectivity. The challenges and prospects for the development of 2D nanofluidic membranes in the future are also addressed.