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Updated: Jun 6, 2025
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Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
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Enhancing optical absorbance and accelerating rotational speed in molecular motors through oriented external electric
Liang-Ting Wu1, Santhanamoorthi Nachimuthu1, Jiří Kaleta2
1Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|December 2, 2024
Summary
Oriented external electric fields (OEEFs) can enhance molecular motor performance. Applying a weak positive electric field to a specific motor accelerated its rotation and improved light absorption, showing OEEFs
Area of Science:
- Molecular machines
- Supramolecular chemistry
- Organic chemistry
Background:
- Accelerating the rotational speed of light-driven molecular motors is crucial for their performance.
- Controlling molecular motor rotation is essential for practical applications.
- Oriented external electric fields (OEEFs) offer a feasible method for controlling motor rotation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of OEEFs on the optical and kinetic properties of a novel molecular motor.
- To analyze the electronic excitation and thermal isomerization behavior of the R2,3-(NH2, CHO) motor under OEEFs.
Main Methods:
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations.
- Time-dependent DFT methods for electronic excitation analysis.
- Assessment of thermal isomerization kinetics.
Main Results:
- OEEFs can tune the absorption wavelength and efficiency of the molecular motor.
- The rate constant of the thermal isomerization reaction is adjustable via OEEFs.
- A weak positive OEEF shifted absorption to longer wavelengths, enhanced light absorption, and accelerated rotation.
Conclusions:
- OEEFs can effectively control and improve the performance of molecular motors.
- The observed effects are predictable based on molecular dipole moment and polarizability.
- This study highlights the potential of OEEFs for advancing molecular machine technology.
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