Micrometer-Scale Translation and Monitoring of Individual Nanocars on Glass

Saumyakanti Khatua, Jason M. Guerrero, Kevin Claytor, Guillaume Vives, Anatoly B. Kolomeisky, James M. Tour* and Stephan Link*
Department of Chemistry and the Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005
ACS Nano, 2009, 3 (2), pp 351–356
DOI: 10.1021/nn800798a
Publication Date (Web): January 9, 2009
Copyright © 2009 American Chemical Society
* Address correspondence to tour@rice.edu; slink@rice.edu.

Abstract

Abstract Image

Nanomachines designed to exhibit controlled mechanical motions on the molecular scale present new possibilities of building novel functional materials. Single molecule fluorescence imaging of dye-labeled nanocars on a glass surface at room temperature showed a coupled translational and rotational motion of these nanoscale machines with an activation energy of 42 ± 5 kJ/mol. The 3 nm-long dye-labeled carborane-wheeled nanocars moved by as much as 2.5 μm with an average speed of 4.1 nm/s. Translation of the nanocars due a wheel-like rolling mechanism is proposed and this is consistent with the absence of movement for a three-wheeled nanocar analogue and the stationary behavior of unbound dye molecules. These findings are an important first step toward the rational design and ultimate control of surface-operational molecular machines.

View: Full Text HTML | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links

Tools

SciFinder Links

SciFinder subscribers: Click to sign in | Not a SciFinder subscriber? Learn more at www.cas.org

Explore by:

History

  • Published In Issue February 24, 2009
  • Article ASAPJanuary 09, 2009
  • Received: November 25, 2008
    Accepted: December 31, 2008

Recommend & Share

Related Content

Other ACS content by these authors: