Rotary nanomotors based on head-to-head nanotube shuttles

摘要

A novel rotary nanomotor is described using two axially aligned, opposing chirality nanotube shuttles. Based on inter-shell screw-like motion of nanotubes, rotary motion is generated by electrostatically pulling the two cores together. Simulations using molecular dynamics show the generation of rotation from armchair nanotube pairs and their actuation properties. The simulation results, together with recently reported progress in realizing batch-fabricated ultra-high density nanotube shuttles, point towards the use of these motors as building blocks in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and nanorobotic systems for sensing, actuation, and computation applications.