Biomimetic action-potential transmission via mechano-gated potassium channels assembled by quadruple hydrogen-bonded crown ethers

Biological potassium channels exemplify nature’s precision in ion discrimination, governing critical processes such as osmotic regulation and neuronal signaling. Developing artificial potassium channels with biological-level and dynamic selectivity is of fundamental importance for intelligent nanofluidic devices. Here, we present a biomimetic mechanoresponsive potassium channel using telechelic polymers with 18-crown-6 and 2-ureido-4-pyrimidinone terminals, achieving a record potassium/sodium selectivity of 104.7. Quadruple hydrogen-bonded supramolecular networks enable both membrane elasticity and pressure-responsive crown ether aggregation state modulation. Mechanical deformation induces a structural reconfiguration that decelerates potassium conduction while accelerating sodium transport, effectively mimicking action potential generation through the reversible inversion of sodium/potassium flux. This mechanoregulatable iontronic mechanism establishes foundational principles for dynamic single-ion selectivity membranes surpassing static biological analogs, highlighting its potential in ion separation, desalination, and renewable energy conversion.