A nanomechanical device based on linear molecular motors

An array of microcantilever beams, coated with a self-assembled monolayer of bistable, redox-controllable [3]rotaxane molecules, undergoes controllable and reversible bending when it is exposed to chemical oxidants and reductants. Conversely, beams that are coated with a redox-active but mechanicall...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2004-11, Vol.85 (22), p.5391-5393
Main Authors: Huang, Tony Jun, Brough, Branden, Ho, Chih-Ming, Liu, Yi, Flood, Amar H., Bonvallet, Paul A., Tseng, Hsian-Rong, Stoddart, J. Fraser, Baller, Marko, Magonov, Sergei
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:An array of microcantilever beams, coated with a self-assembled monolayer of bistable, redox-controllable [3]rotaxane molecules, undergoes controllable and reversible bending when it is exposed to chemical oxidants and reductants. Conversely, beams that are coated with a redox-active but mechanically inert control compound do not display the same bending. A series of control experiments and rational assessments preclude the influence of heat, photothermal effects, and p H variation as potential mechanisms of beam bending. Along with a simple calculation from a force balance diagram, these observations support the hypothesis that the cumulative nanoscale movements within surface-bound "molecular muscles" can be harnessed to perform larger-scale mechanical work.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.1826222