Summary: Progress in the development of a redox‐driven macromolecular motor and the characterization of its redox‐mechanical cycle using electrochemical AFM‐based single‐molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) is described. The elasticities of individual neutral and oxidized poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFS) macromolecules were reversibly controlled in situ by adjusting the potential in electrochemical SMFS experiments. For the operating cycle of one individual PFS‐based molecular motor, an output of 3.4 × 10−19 J and an efficiency of 5% have been estimated.
Force‐extension curves of a single‐molecule motor.
