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An introduction to the creation of Nanocars at Rice University
This module was developed as part of a Rice University Class called " Nanotechnology: Content and Context " initially funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EEC-0407237. It was conceived, researched, written and edited by students in the Fall 2005 version of the class, and reviewed by participating professors.

In the late decades of the 20th century, the field of molecular manufacturing developed as materials and methodsarose that facilitated development of new, useful designs. In this chapter, we take a look at the development of molecular manufacturing,where it stands today, and its some aspects of its future. Since the invention of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope in 1981, molecularmanufacturing has reached various milestones that we will discuss in this section. In addition, we will take a look at a specific moleculethat was synthesized by Rice University scientists that incorporated previously established molecular designs and mechanisms. This moleculetakes molecular manufacturing further down the path of development.

In 2005, Rice University scientists Dr. James Tour, Kevin Kelly, and others built upon established milestones toreach new understandings of engineered, deliberate molecular motion. The team of scientists designed a molecular structureconsisting of a chassis and axle system covalently bound to four separate Buckminsterfullerene (C60) molecules (figure 1) thatfacilitates rolling translational motion. The synthesis, structure, mobility, and observation of the nanocar will be discussed insubsequent sections of this chapter. But first, lets take a look at the developments in molecular manufacturing preceding the discovery ofnanocar 1.

Space filling model of nanocar 1. The chassis and axles consist of oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) molecules along with 4 wheels that each consist of single C60 molecules. The molecule is capable ofundergoing translational motion, perpendicular to the axles (shown by the blue arrow). Picture courtesy of Rice University Officeof Media Relations. Reprinted with kind permission from Dr. Kevin Kelly.

A brief review of early advances in nanoscale design

To understand how the nanocar fits into the larger scheme of molecular manufacturing, we will review someinstrumental developments in molecular manufacturing that jump-started the field. We will also introduce a couple of molecular componentsthat facilitate the design of mobile molecules—bearings and axles.

Scanning tunneling microscopy introduces a new frontier

The invention of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) by IBM’s Gerd Binning and Heinrich Rohrer in 1981 was vital to the development ofmolecular manufacturing and nanoscale design. The function of the STM is two-fold. First of all, STM imaging allowed scientists to visualizeatomic surfaces. Secondly, STM tips are capable of directly manipulating individual atoms and molecules. Both of these functionshave been instrumental in nanoscale design, and were both employed by the scientists involved in the design and observation of nanocar1.

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Source:  OpenStax, Nanotechnology: content and context. OpenStax CNX. May 09, 2007 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10418/1.1
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