Biomolecular motors can be found everywhere in nature from the rotary motor enzyme ATP synthase to kinesin and dynein motor proteins. In recent decades, scientists have been able to produce a wealth of synthetic molecular machines such as switches, shuttles, gears, wheels and artificial muscles.
This Review by Lensen and Elemans from the Institute for Molecules and Materials at Radboud University surveys the study of synthetic molecular rotors and motors on surfaces using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). This technique allows imaging at the atomic scale and in recent years, has enabled visualisation of molecular motion.
Artificial molecular rotors and motors on surfaces: STM reveals and triggers
Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 9053. DOI: 10.1039/c2sm26235e (free to read for a short time)
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