Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
11:27
X-Ray Crystallography to Study the Oligomeric State Transition of the Thermotoga maritima M42 Aminopeptidase TmPep1050
Published on: May 13, 2020
Tip-Induced Structural Transitions in a Buckybowl Molecular Assembly
Quan Yang1, Zhiwen Zhu1, Juan Xiang1
1Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai University, 200444Shanghai, China.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|August 6, 2026
Summary
Individual sumanene molecules on gold surfaces can switch shapes when manipulated by a scanning tunneling microscope tip. This molecular switching leads to distinct outcomes like bowl inversion or rotation, offering insights into surface-confined molecular dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Dynamics
Background:
- Conformational switching of curved molecules on surfaces is complex, influenced by substrate interactions and molecular crowding.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for designing nanoscale molecular architectures and devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate tip-induced structural transitions of individual sumanene buckybowls on a Au(111) surface.
- To elucidate the mechanisms and outcomes of conformational switching in a confined molecular system.
Main Methods:
- Utilized low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) to probe individual sumanene molecules.
- Employed tip proximity and bias-driven excitation to induce and control molecular conformational changes.
- Performed comparative studies on different substrates (Au(111), Ag(111)) and molecules (sumanene, corannulene).
Main Results:
- Successfully triggered conformational switching (bowl inversion and molecular rotation) in sumanene molecules using the STM tip.
- Observed distinct tunneling current signatures corresponding to inversion (locked state) and rotation (metastable state).
- Identified substrate reconstruction (Au(111) herringbone) and steric confinement as key factors governing the potential energy landscape.
Conclusions:
- Provided mechanistic understanding of tip-induced conformational dynamics in surface-confined sumanene molecules.
- Demonstrated the ability to control molecular switching between distinct states (locked vs. metastable).
- Highlighted the critical role of substrate-molecule interactions and confinement in dictating molecular behavior on surfaces.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Protein Folding
Overview
01:25Protein Folding
Proteins are chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. Upon synthesis, a protein folds into a three-dimensional conformation, critical to its biological function. Interactions between its constituent amino acids guide protein folding, and hence the protein structure is primarily dependent on its amino acid sequence.
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
Protein Structure Is Critical to Its Biological Function
Proteins perform a wide range of biological functions such as catalyzing chemical reactions, providing...
02:11Conformations of Cyclohexane
Cyclohexane does not exist in a planar form due to the high angle and torsional strain it would experience in the planar structure. Instead, it adopts non-planar chair and boat conformations.
The chair form is the most stable and derives its name from its resemblance to the “easy chair.” In the chair conformation, two carbon atoms are arranged out-of-plane — one above and one below, minimizing the torsional strain. In the chair form, the bond angle is very close to the ideal tetrahedral value,...
The chair form is the most stable and derives its name from its resemblance to the “easy chair.” In the chair conformation, two carbon atoms are arranged out-of-plane — one above and one below, minimizing the torsional strain. In the chair form, the bond angle is very close to the ideal tetrahedral value,...
02:21Globular and Fibrous Proteins
Many proteins can be classified into two distinct subtypes - globular or fibrous. These two types differ in their shapes and solubilities.
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
Globular proteins are also known as spheroproteins and typically are approximately round in shape. They contain a mix of amino acid types and contain differing sequences in their primary structures. Globular proteins have many different functions, such as enzymes, cellular messengers, and molecular transporters. These roles often require the proteins to be...
02:02Chair Conformation of Cyclohexane
The chair conformation is the most stable form of cyclohexane due to the absence of angle and torsional strain. The absence of angle strain is a result of cyclohexane’s bond angle being very close to the ideal tetrahedral bond angle of 109.5° in its chair conformer. Similarly, the torsional strain is also absent owing to the perfectly staggered arrangement of bonds.
The hydrogen atoms linked to carbons are arranged in two different axial and equatorial orientations to achieve this staggered...
The hydrogen atoms linked to carbons are arranged in two different axial and equatorial orientations to achieve this staggered...
02:06Newman Projections
Different notations are used to represent the three-dimensional structure of molecules on two-dimensional surfaces. One of the most commonly used representations is the dash-wedge formula. The dashed wedges, solid wedges, and the plane lines indicate the groups situated behind the plane, coming out of the plane, and in the plane, respectively.
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as conformers.
The organic molecules rotate across the single bonds leading to numerous temporary three-dimensional structures of varying energy known as conformers.