English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

While molecular machines play an increasingly significant role in nanoscienceresearch and applications, there remains a shortage of investigations andunderstanding of the molecular gear (cogwheel), which is an indispensable andfundamental component to drive a larger correlated molecular machine system.Employing ab initio calculations, we investigate model systems consisting ofmolecules adsorbed on metal or graphene surfaces, ranging from very simpletriple-arm gears such as PF3 and NH3 to larger multi-arm gears based on carbonrings. We explore in detail the transmission of slow rotational motion from onegear to the next by these relatively simple molecules, so as to isolate andreveal the mechanisms of the relevant intermolecular interactions. Severalcharacteristics of molecular gears are discussed, in particular the flexibilityof the arms and the slipping and skipping between interlocking arms of adjacentgears, which differ from familiar macroscopic rigid gears. The underlyingtheoretical concepts suggest strongly that other analogous structures may alsoexhibit similar behavior which may inspire future exploration in designinglarge correlated molecular machines.

Interlocking mechanism between molecular gears attached to surfaces