Step-by-step rotation of a molecule-gear mounted on an atomic-scale axis
Source abstract
Abstract
Gears are microfabricated down to diameters of a few micrometres. Natural macromolecular motors, of tens of nanometres in diameter, also show gear effects. At a smaller scale, the random rotation of a single-molecule rotor encaged in a molecular stator has been observed, demonstrating that a single molecule can be rotated with the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). A self-assembled rack-and-pinion molecular machine where the STM tip apex is the rotation axis of the pinion was also tested. Here, we present the mechanics of an intentionally constructed molecule-gear on a Au(111) surface, mounting and centring one hexa-t-butyl-pyrimidopentaphenylbenzene molecule on one atom axis. The combination of molecular design, molecular manipulation and surface atomic structure selection leads to the construction of a fundamental component of a planar single-molecule mechanical machine. The rotation of our molecule-gear is step-by-step and totally under control, demonstrating nine stable stations in both directions.
Source: europepmc · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications · Molecular Junctions and Nanostructures · Mechanical and Optical Resonators
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (15)
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