title: A method for measuring rotation of a thermal carbon nanomotor using centrifugal effect.
abstract: A thermal nanomotor is relatively easy to fabricate and regulate as it contains just a few or even no accessory devices. Since the double-wall carbon nanotube (CNT)-based rotary nanomotor was established in a thermostat, assessment of the rotation of the rotor (inner tube) in the stator (outer tube) of the nanomotor has been critical, but remains challenging due to two factors: the small size of the rotor (only a few nanometers) and the high rotational frequency (»1 GHz). To measure the rotation of the nanomotor, in the present study, a probe test method is proposed. Briefly, the rotor is connected to an end-tube (CNT) through a graphene (GN) nanoribbon. As the CNT-probe is on the trajectory of the end-tube which rotates with the rotor, it will collide with the end-tube. The sharp fluctuation indicating the probe tip deflection can be observed and recorded. As a curly GN by hydrogenation is adopted for connecting the rotor and the end-tube, collision between the end-tube and the probe tip occurs only when the centrifugal force is higher than a threshold which can be considered as the rotational frequency of the rotor being measured by the present method.
authors.affiliation: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.|Research School of Engineering, the Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jingzhou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Research School of Engineering, the Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Qing H
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Qin