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Go Speed Racer! Revving up the world's fastest nanomotors
May 01, 2008In a "major step" toward a practical energy source for powering tomorrow's nanomachines, researchers in Arizona report development of a new generation of sub-microscopic nanomotors that are up to 10 times more powerful than existing motors. Their study is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS Nano, a monthly journal.
In the new study, Joseph Wang and colleagues point out that existing nanomotors, including so-called "catalytic nanomotors," are made with gold and platinum nanowires and use hydrogen peroxide fuel for self-propulsion. But these motors are too slow and inefficient for practical use, with top speeds of about 10 micrometers per second, the researchers say. One micrometer is about 1/25,000 of an inch or almost 100 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Wang and colleagues supercharged their nanomotors by inserting carbon nanotubes into the platinum, thus boosting average speed to 60 micrometers per second. Spiking the hydrogen peroxide fuel with hydrazine (a type of rocket fuel) kicked up the speed still further, to 94- 200 micrometers per second. This innovation "offers great promise for self-powered nanoscale transport and delivery systems," the scientists state.
American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
Nanotech Research Featured in Nature Nanotechnology Journal
Using an RNA-powered nanomotor, University of Cincinnati (UC) biomedical engineering researchers have successfully developed an artificial pore able to transmit nanoscale material through a membrane.
New, light-driven nanomotor is simpler, more promising, scientists say
Sunflowers track the sun as it moves from east to west. But people usually have to convert sunlight into electricity or heat to put its power to use.
Novel CU-Boulder technique shrinks size of nanotechnology circuitry
A University of Colorado at Boulder team has developed a new method of shrinking the size of circuitry used in nanotechnology devices like computer chips and solar cells by using two separate colors of light.
University of Arizona scientist shares in discovery of microbe filaments' power
Researchers from The University of Arizona and Columbia University have discovered that tiny filaments on bacteria can bundle together and pull with forces far stronger than experts had previously thought possible.
Biologists learn structure of enzyme needed to power 'molecular motor'
Researchers at Purdue University and The Catholic University of America have discovered the structure of an enzyme essential for the operation of "molecular motors" that package DNA into the head segment of some viruses during their assembly.
More Nanomotors Current Events and Nanomotors News Articles
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Mechanical and Dynamical Principles of Protein Nanomotors: The Key to Nano-engineering Applications (Nanotechnology Science and Technology) by A. R. Khataeea (Author), H. R. Khataeeb (Author) It is obvious that movement is an essential concept of all living organisms. Molecular motility participates in many cellular functions including cell division, intracellular transport and movement of the organism itself. Thus, it is not surprising that nature has evolved a series of biological nanomotors that fulfil many of these tasks. A general class of these biological nanomotors is called protein nanomotors that move in a linear fashion (e.g. the kinesin or myosin or dynein motors) or rotate (e.g. F0F1-ATP synthase or bacterial flagellar motors). Protein nanomotors are natural motors responsible for the human activity and are also the subject of interest for nanotechnology. Protein nanomotors are ideal nanomotors because of their small size, perfect structure, smart and high... |
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