Nanotechnology; size does’t matter

Just a few weeks ago the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to a group of three brilliant men, Jean-Pieree Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa. Over the past few decades, these three have developed molecular machines that can do a variety of work,  allowing for infinite applications.

To begin, the sizes of the machines are amazing, being measured on the scale of nanometers. To put this into perspective these machines would be 1000 times smaller than a single strand of human hair! It is quite mind-boggling to imagine how humans could build such tiny machines and this was one of the biggest obstacles in designing the molecular tools.

There had been many methods attempted to build the machines, from building small machines that would be used to build smaller machines repeating this process until a macroscopic end product had been created. Another method was  layering individual atoms and dissembling in various parts to shape a molecular machine. Finally the method used by the Nobel Prize winner’s consists of forming a new mechanical bond that allows linkages to occur without any chemical interactions. Further manipulation and these interacting molecules can be rotated, spun and twisted independently of each other.

An explanation of molecular machines. Video from https://youtu.be/vELfuiUpKM0.

The applications are immense. Molecular computer chips are one of the many things being created with the molecular machines. The computer chips are able to store data in them and compared to today’s computers hardware are miniscule. With further developments I would imagine that one day the entire computer’s hardware will be of molecular size. The computers will likely be even more compact and lightweight too!

One unique invention by researchers is the creation of a nano-car. These tiny vehicles consist of chemicals that build its chassis and rotating molecules as wheels. When I read about this I imagined researchers combining this molecular car with the molecular computer that could be use to sense and see the surrounding environment. Doctors could use this machine to travel the human body, patrolling for diseases in humans by programming the computer to sense the changes in the body. This isn’t too far fetched as the idea of tiny machines travelling through the human body has been brought up before.

The nanocar. Image from https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ItfIwlmbPGDqVpOXuPVErG0ygrA=/800×0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7221875/Screen%20Shot%202016-10-05%20at%206.36.46%20AM.png

Novel batteries are under development as well. The molecular machines are used to roll up polymers (long strings of joined chemicals) into an unorganized mess upon radiation with light. This mess could then unravel, releasing the energy used to initially twist up the polymer. This process essentially would harness the light energy, as it was what powered the motor to coil up the previously straight polymer.

As the era of molecular machines are still in its infancy there will be many more discoveries and applications found in coming years. As Bernard Feringa said “Through natural sciences, we can go far beyond the limits imposed on nature by evolution”, what exactly these limits are, we will have to wait and see.

-Tristan Jeffery