<p>Precise control of ion and molecular transport at the nanoscale underpins next-generation nanofluidic technologies. However, current approaches such as top-down fabrication and bottom-up assembly remain constrained by cost, scalability, or limited programmability. Fungal mycelium—the largest natural ion transport network in soil—offers a living bio-derived route to nanofluidics. Here, we harness mycelium’s self-growth and hyphal anastomosis to construct nanofluidic structures that autonomously conform to confined geometries. With interconnected fibrous networks, nanoscale porosity, and negatively charged surfaces (−2.8 to −4.1 mC m<sup>−2</sup>), multispecies mycelium generates in situ adaptive pathways through channels, gaps, and open volumes. Specifically, a mycelium-integrated microchannel achieves a pH-gating switch ratio of up to 3.0 and a 55-fold enrichment for dilute cation detection. These results establish the principle that nanofluidic functionality can be biologically grown rather than fabricated, introducing a scalable, sustainable, and geometrically adaptable platform. By bypassing lithography and energy-intensive processing, this bio-derived strategy may enable living and self-organizing ion transport networks with potential applications in sensing, ionic computing, and energy conversion.</p>

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Self-grown mycelium in confined geometries as nanofluidic devices

  • Qilong Cheng,
  • Zhenyuan Niu,
  • Bryce Waller,
  • Bingyu Xia,
  • Pengfei Deng,
  • Yanpei Tian,
  • David M. Warsinger,
  • Zuzanna S. Siwy,
  • Xianming Dai,
  • Gregory Bonito,
  • Tian Li

摘要

Precise control of ion and molecular transport at the nanoscale underpins next-generation nanofluidic technologies. However, current approaches such as top-down fabrication and bottom-up assembly remain constrained by cost, scalability, or limited programmability. Fungal mycelium—the largest natural ion transport network in soil—offers a living bio-derived route to nanofluidics. Here, we harness mycelium’s self-growth and hyphal anastomosis to construct nanofluidic structures that autonomously conform to confined geometries. With interconnected fibrous networks, nanoscale porosity, and negatively charged surfaces (−2.8 to −4.1 mC m−2), multispecies mycelium generates in situ adaptive pathways through channels, gaps, and open volumes. Specifically, a mycelium-integrated microchannel achieves a pH-gating switch ratio of up to 3.0 and a 55-fold enrichment for dilute cation detection. These results establish the principle that nanofluidic functionality can be biologically grown rather than fabricated, introducing a scalable, sustainable, and geometrically adaptable platform. By bypassing lithography and energy-intensive processing, this bio-derived strategy may enable living and self-organizing ion transport networks with potential applications in sensing, ionic computing, and energy conversion.