Operation of micro and molecular machines: a new concept with its origins in interface science

A landmark accomplishment of nanotechnology would be successful fabrication of ultrasmall machines that can work like tweezers, motors, or even computing devices. Now we must consider how operation of micro- and molecular machines might be implemented for a wide range of applications. If these machines function only under limited conditions and/or require specialized apparatus then they are useless for practical applications. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider the access of functionality of the molecular or nanoscale systems by conventional stimuli at the macroscopic level. In this perspective, we will outline the position of micro- and molecular machines in current science and technology. Most of these machines are operated by light irradiation, application of electrical or magnetic fields, chemical reactions, and thermal fluctuations, which cannot always be applied in remote machine operation. We also propose strategies for molecular machine operation using the most conventional of stimuli, that of macroscopic mechanical force, achieved through mechanical operation of molecular machines located at an air-water interface. The crucial roles of the characteristics of an interfacial environment, i.e. connection between macroscopic dimension and nanoscopic function, and contact of media with different dielectric natures, are also described.     

Synthesis and Optical Properties of SiO2-Coated CeO2 Nanoparticles

Silica (SiO₂)-coated ceria (CeO₂) nanoparticles were prepared using water-in-oil microemulsion. Polyoxyethylene (15) cetylether and cyclohexane were used as a surfactant and organic solvent. SiO₂-coated CeO₂ nanoparticles were obtained by hydrolysis of metal alkoxide (tetraethylorthosilicate, TEOS) in the solution containing CeO₂ precursor nanoparticles. The effects of CeO₂ sources (Ce metal salt) and CeO₂ particle-forming agents on the morphology of SiO₂–CeO₂ particles were investigated. Observation via transmission electron microscopy revealed that the type of particle-forming agent affected the nanoparticles' morphology and that CeO₂ nanoparticles were spherically coated with SiO₂ when using oxalic acid ((COOH)₂) as a particle-forming agent of CeO₂. Furthermore, the transmittance of the particles was high in the visible region (above 400 nm) and decreased in the ultraviolet region.     

Sugar-sensitive thin films composed of concanavalin A and sugar-bearing polymers.

Layered thin films composed of concanavalin A (Con A) and sugar-bearing polymers were prepared by a layer-by-layer deposition of Con A and the polymer on a solid surface. The sugar-induced disintegration was studied. Con A-polymer layered films could be successfully prepared using a maltose-bearing polymer (PV-MA), while melibiose- and glucose-bearing polymers (PV-MEA and PV-G) did not afford a layered film, due to a weak affinity of PV-MEA and PV-G to Con A. The Con A/PV-MA layered film was stable in pH 7 and 8 solutions, while in a pH 6 medium the film was slightly unstable. The Con A/PV-MA film was disintegrated upon the addition of sugars in solution owing to a preferential binding of the sugars to the binding site of Con A in the film. The disintegration rate was dependent on the type of sugar and its concentration. The Con A/PV-MA film was disintegrated rapidly upon the addition of methyl alpha-D-mannopyranoside, while the rate was slower upon the addition of the same concentration of D-mannose, D-glucose and methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside. The present system may be useful for constructing sensitive devices that can release a drug or other functional molecules in response to sugars.     

Sound attenuation in one-dimensional magnetic systems at finite temperatures

Sound attenuattion constants are calculated for the one-dimensional ferro- and antiferromagnetic systems at finite temperatures. Their frequency dependences, in both cases, turn out to be $\text{ω}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>3</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{if}\text{ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{? ω}{}_{\mathrm{c}}\text{and}\text{ω}{}^2{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{if}\text{ω}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>k</mtext>}}\text{?ω}{}_{\mathrm{c}}$, where ω_c is a “cut-off” frequency related to the three-dimensional anisotropic interactions.     

Odd-even effect of the methylene chain number in the template polymerization of alpha,beta-diacetylenecarboxylates incorporated in layered double hydroxide clay

The present investigation reports on the significant differences observed in the efficiency of the polymerization depending on the odd- or even-numbered methylene chains of diacetylenecarboxylates, CH3(CH2)(m-1)C[triple bond]C-C[triple bond]C(CH2)(n-1)CO2- (mono-[m,n]), incorporated in layered double hydroxide (LDH) clay. Upon gamma-ray irradiation of the diacetylenecarboxylates, or mono-[m,n], in LDH clay, polymer hybrids or poly-[m,n]/LDH, which exhibited coloring from light orange to violet, were obtained. The color of the poly-[m,n]/LDH hybrids was strongly dependent on the extent of the polymerization degrees. Moreover, the polymerization degrees were controlled by the number of methylene spacers n between the carboxyl and diacetylene groups. An odd-numbered n for the methylene chain of mono-[m,n] was found to be the determining factor in the efficient polymerization of these self-assembling aggregates within the interlayers of LDH clay.     

Fluorometric determination of sugars using fluorescein-labeled concanavalin A–glycogen conjugates

The fluorescence of fluoresceinisothiocyanate-labeled concanavalin A (FITC-Con A) was quenched by forming an FITC-Con A–glycogen conjugate and dequenched upon addition of sugars to the conjugate solution due to disaggregation of the conjugate. However, fluorescence quenching was barely observed upon formation of FITC-Con A–dextran conjugate. The sugar-induced fluorescence response of the FITC-Con A–glycogen conjugate depended significantly on the type of sugar: methylated α-D-glucose and α-D-mannose both induced high and rapid responses, while the responses to D-mannose and D-glucose were moderate. In contrast, no response was observed in the presence of D-galactose due to a lack of affinity to Con A. Thus, it is apparent that D-glucose and other sugars can be detected via the fluorescence of the FITC-Con A–glycogen conjugate.