title: Nanoscale directional motion towards regions of stiffness.
abstract: How to induce nanoscale directional motion via some intrinsic mechanisms pertaining to a nanosystem remains a challenge in nanotechnology. Here we show via molecular dynamics simulations that there exists a fundamental driving force for a nanoscale object to move from a region of lower stiffness toward one of higher stiffness on a substrate. Such nanoscale directional motion is induced by the difference in effective van der Waals potential energy due to the variation in stiffness of the substrate; i.e., all other conditions being equal, a nanoscale object on a stiffer substrate has lower van der Waals potential energy. This fundamental law of nanoscale directional motion could lead to promising routes for nanoscale actuation and energy conversion.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China and Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tienchong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China and School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Zhengrong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mechanics in Energy Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xingming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Huajian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao