NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Grantees Conference, Dec 3-6, 2007
Grant #: 0609128
NANO HIGHLIGHT
NIRT: Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (NEMS) using Light-Driven
Molecular Shuttles as Active Nanostructures
NSF: NIRT Grant 0609128
PIs: Chung-Chiun Liu 1, William A. Goddard 2, Tony Jun Huang 3
and J.Fraser Stoddart 4
1
Case Western Reserve University, 2 California Institute of Technology,
3
Pennsylvania State University, 4 University of California at Los Angeles.
Prof. J. Fraser Stoddart and his group synthesize
polymeric materials that can extend and contract
with chemical or electrical stimuli. These materials
may prove highly useful in the fabrication of
microactuators in the form of artificial muscle
fibers. Efforts have been concentrated on
synthesizing and characterizing different types of
active units that respond to different inputs such as
chemical and electrical changes in their
surroundings. The synthesis involves a “click” type
chemical reaction which is used to link the Interlocked Doubly-Threaded
monomeric actuator units. The material uses Bistable [2] Rotaxane Polymers
polymeric fibers which are made up from multiple
active repeat-units. This mechanically interlocked polymer architecture is investigated as a
possible candidate in applications where mechanical activity is desired. These materials are
based on a mechanical bond that allows a sliding movement between each of the monomeric
units. Chemical or electrical inputs switch the stations that are involved in the relative
positioning of the rings on the linear element giving rise to physical molecular movement. This
is amplified along each polymer fiber generating a macroscopic change in the longitudinal
dimensions of the material.
Ideal biosensing methods have to be sensitive, selective,
rapid, cost-effective, and label-free. Another highlight in this
research led by Prof. Tony Jun Huang has developed a label-free
biosensing method for creating periodic nanopores encased
within polymer matrices by modifying the traditional
holographic, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) system,
as shown.
The PIs of this research received many prizes, awards, and
honors in 2007. The Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology and the
Tetrahedron Prize were awarded to Prof. J. Fraser Stoddart.
A nanoporous polymer gratingJoanne Wang, a high school student working on nano catalyst
based optical biosensor is
biosensors and mentored by Prof. Liu was one of the 20
fabricated using a holographic
students nationwide selected for USA Today’s senior first
interference patterning method.
academic team.
References
For further information about this project email to CXL9@case.edu, wag@wag.caltech.edu, junhuang@psu.edu,
stoddart@chem.ucla.edu.