Molecular insight on ultra-confined ionic transport in wetting films: The key role of friction

Abstract

Nanofluidic transport is ubiquitous in natural systems, from extracellular communication in biology to geological phenomena, and promotes the emergence of new technologies such as energy harvesting and water desalination. While experimental access to ultraconfined fluids has advanced rapidly, their behavior challenges conventional theoretical descriptions based on Poisson–Boltzmann theory or the Stokes equation, whose possible extension remains an open question. In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate ionic transport within wetting films of water confined on silica surfaces down to the sub-nanometer scale. We then analyze these results using a simple one-dimensional theoretical framework. Remarkably, we show that this model remains valid even at confinement close to the molecular scale. Our results reveal that ion dynamics play a key role in ionic transport through ion adsorption at the water–silica interface. Adsorbed cations do not participate in ionic conduction but instead generate molecular-scale roughness and transmit additional frictional forces to the substrate. This mechanism produces an apparent viscosity increase in electrostatically driven flows, reaching up to four times the bulk value in the case of potassium. Our findings highlight the critical role of interfacial ion adsorption in nanoscale hydrodynamics and provide new insights for interpreting experiments and designing nanofluidic systems.