title: Unimolecular Submersible Nanomachines. Synthesis, Actuation, and Monitoring.
abstract: Unimolecular submersible nanomachines (USNs) bearing light-driven motors and fluorophores are synthesized. NMR experiments demonstrate that the rotation of the motor is not quenched by the fluorophore and that the motor behaves in the same manner as the corresponding motor without attached fluorophores. No photo or thermal decomposition is observed. Through careful design of control molecules with no motor and with a slow motor, we found using single molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy that only the molecules with fast rotating speed (MHz range) show an enhancement in diffusion by 26% when the motor is fully activated by UV light. This suggests that the USN molecules give ∼9 nm steps upon each motor actuation. A non-unidirectional rotating motor also results in a smaller, 10%, increase in diffusion. This study gives new insight into the light actuation of motorized molecules in solution.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: García-López
authors.forename: Pinn-Tsong
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gedeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Angel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Martí
authors.forename: Anatoly B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kolomeisky
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.
authors.forename: Gufeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tour
mesh_terms: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D036103:Nanotechnology; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes
keywords: Unimolecular submersible nanomachines; diffusion coefficient; fluorophores; light-driven motor