Bioinspired ion-concentration-modulated nanofluidic memristor for environment-adaptive dynamic perception

The ion concentrations in body fluids modulate synaptic dynamics, which in turn modify perceptual capabilities and promote adaptive responses to environmental challenges. Therefore, to realize ion-concentration-modulated nanofluidic synapses is of great significance for the development of intelligent devices with environmental adaptability. We propose an ion-concentration-modulated nanofluidic memristor featuring asymmetric nanochannels based on graphene oxide (GO)/MXene composites. The Ti-O-C bonds formed between GO and MXene significantly enhance the structural stability of the thin film in water (>40 days); these results build a strong foundation for the development of nanofluidic memristors with long-term stability. At low K⁺ ion concentrations (10^-6 M), the device exhibits typical biological synaptic plasticity behaviors with strong temporal correlation, which disappear at high K⁺ ion concentrations (10^-2 M). Such an ion-concentration-modulated memristive mechanism can be attributed to the cation-π interactions between potassium ions and the material, whose concentration-dependent changes regulate surface charge and cation selectivity in the nanochannels, resulting in distinct electrical behaviors. Moreover, the dynamic neural regulation function during the predation process is demonstrated in the ion-concentration-modulated nanofluidic memristor-based neuromorphic system. This work offers a new strategy for the development of advanced functional neuromorphic devices by introducing ion concentration sensitivity for environment-adaptive dynamic perception.