Abstract

Towards the goal of nanoscale molecular systems, little work has been undertaken on ionic solutions at the nanoscale (‘nanosolution’, NSN). Functional nanoporous materials can be applied to confine, and thereby allow study of molecular assemblies and NSNs; electrically neutral hydrophobic pores reveal a particularly marked confinement effect. This article summarizes the properties and structures of molecules confined within nanospaces and the pioneering work on the distorted and partially dehydrated structures of NSNs.