Unidirectional rotary motion in a metal–organic framework

• Published in: Nature nanotechnology Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 488 - 494
• Main Authors: Danowski, Wojciech, van Leeuwen, Thomas, Abdolahzadeh, Shaghayegh, Roke, Diederik, Browne, Wesley R., Wezenberg, Sander J., Feringa, Ben L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.05.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 140/131; 140/133; 639/301/299/921; 639/638/541; Brownian motion; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Materials Science; Metal-organic frameworks; Molecular motors; Motor units; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Powder; Single crystals

Overcrowded alkene-based light-driven molecular motors are able to perform large-amplitude repetitive unidirectional rotations. Their behaviour is well understood in solution. However, Brownian motion precludes the precise positioning at the nanoscale needed to harness cooperative action. Here, we d...