Functionalities of Simple and Complex Electrolytes in Confinement

Understanding simple and molecular electrolytes has advanced the development of various biotechnologies and industrial processes. In recent years, researchers have designed new ion-based architectures that emulate important biomimetic functions such as neural and organelle-like processes to alleviate societal demands. These examples, and many other bioinspired futuristic devices, rely on understanding and controlling electrostatic interactions in nanoscale confinement. For example, information transference and data processing demands have motivated studies toward the development of neuromorphic computers, which could distribute information into many small neuron-like devices that process and store information locally. Another area where the design of biomimetic functions plays a key role is in the need to decompose environmentally harmful chemicals. This has led to the design of synthetic mimics of unstructured proteins to protect enzymes in nonbiological environments, resembling the functions of membraneless organelles. This perspective explores principles aimed to design composite materials involving simple and complex electrolytes in confinement to imitate functional biomaterials. The function of layered materials for the synthesis of ionic machines and of poleylectrolytes to assemble functional enzymatic membranes is discussed, emphasizing new physical chemistry principles and computational methodologies.