Electric Field Mediated Unclogging of Angstrom‐Scale Channels.

Angstrom‐scale fluidic channels offer immense potential for applications in areas such as desalination, molecular sieving, biomolecular sequencing, and dialysis. Inspired by biological ion channels, nano‐ and angstrom (Å)‐scale channels are fabricated that mimic these molecular or atomic‐scale dimensions. At the Å‐scale, these channels exhibit unique phenomena, including selective ion transport, osmotic energy generation, fast water and gas flows, and neuromorphic ion memory. However, practical utilization of Å‐scale channels is often hindered by contamination, which can clog these nanochannels. In this context, a promising technique is introduced here for unclogging 2D channels, particularly those with sub‐nanometre dimensions (≈6.8 Å). The voltage‐cycling method emerges as an efficient and reliable solution for this challenge. The electric field effectively dislodges contaminants from the clogged Å‐scale channels, facilitating ion and molecular transport. This study provides practical guidelines for reviving clogged nano‐ and Å‐scale channels, thereby enhancing their applicability in various ion and molecular transport applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]