Recent advances in nanofluidics have enabled the confinement of water down to a single molecular layer. Such monolayer electrolytes show promise in achieving bioinspired functionalities through molecular control of ion transport. However, the understanding of ion dynamics in these systems is still scarce. Here, we develop an analytical theory, backed up by molecular dynamics simulations, that predicts strongly nonlinear effects in ion transport across quasi–two-dimensional slits. We show that under an electric field, ions assemble into elongated clusters, whose slow dynamics result in hysteretic conduction. This phenomenon, known as the memristor effect, can be harnessed to build an elementary neuron. As a proof of concept, we carry out molecular simulations of two nanofluidic slits that reproduce the Hodgkin-Huxley model and observe spontaneous emission of voltage spikes characteristic of neuromorphic activity.

纳米流体学的最新进展已经能够将水限制在单个分子层中。这种单层电解质有望通过离子传输的分子控制实现仿生功能。然而，对这些系统中离子动力学的理解仍然很少。在这里，我们开发了一种由分子动力学模拟支持的分析理论，该理论预测离子跨准二维狭缝传输的强非线性效应。我们表明，在电场下，离子组装成细长的簇，其缓慢的动力学导致迟滞传导。这种现象称为忆阻器效应，可用于构建基本神经元。作为概念证明，