Micrometer-Scale Translation and Monitoring of Individual Nanocars on Glass

Nanomachines designed to exhibit controlled mechanical motions on the molecular scale present new possibilities of building novel functional materials. Single molecule fluorescence imaging of dye-labeled nanocars on a glass surface at room temperature showed a coupled translational and rotational motion of these nanoscale machines with an activation energy of 42 +/- 5 kJ/mol. The 3 nm-long dye-labeled carborane-wheeled nanocars moved by as much as 2.5 mum with an average speed of 4.1 nm/s. Translation of the nanocars due a wheel-like rolling mechanism is proposed and this is consistent with the absence of movement for a three-wheeled nanocar analogue and the stationary behavior of unbound dye molecules. These findings are an important first step toward the rational design and ultimate control of surface-operational molecular machines.