Molecular Machines
2016 Chemistry Nobel Prize (Kishan Patel & Dylan Humphries)
The Idea
Jean-Pierre Sauvage
Affiliation at the time of the award: University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Education: Ph.D. from the Université Louis-Pasteur
Scientific Field: Supramolecular, coordination chemistry
Interesting Fact: Currently, he is Professor Emeritus at the University of Strasbourg and Director of Research Emeritus at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), France.
Sir J. Fraser Stoddart
Born: 1942, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Affiliation at the time of the award: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Education: He was awarded a Doctor of Science degree from the University in Edinburgh 1980 for his research into stereochemistry beyond the molecule.
Scientific Field: supramoleclar, stereochemistry
Interesting Fact: During 35 years, nearly 300 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers have been trained in his laboratories.
Bernard L. Feringa
Born: 1951, Barger-Compascuum, the Netherlands
Affiliation at the time of the award: University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
Education: Feringa received his MSc degree with distinction from the University of Groningen in 1974
Scientific Field: Organic chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, photochemistry
Interesting Fact: In 2011, Feringa's molecular nanocar was highlighted in international daily newspapers & magazines worldwide and selected by the Chinese Academy of Sciences as one of the 10 major discoveries in sciences worldwide.
The Men of the Machines
By 2016, three chemists (Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, and Bernard L. Feringa) had finally fulfilled Feynman’s vision, by creating molecular machines that are more than 1,000 times smaller than a strand of hair.
These machines were created by way of 3 experiments, that when combined, led to the formation of molecular machines...
The Breakthrough
1- Jean-Pierre Sauvage linked molecules around a copper ion, then removed the ion, in order to create a microscopic chain of molecules, and in turn the first molecular machine.
2- Then, J. Fraser Stoddart added onto this chain by using molecules with and without electrons that could move up and down the chain by attracting them with heat. By manipulating the heat, as well as the size and shape of the molecular chain, these molecules could then perform a variety of functions, including move up or down, side to side, or rotate.
3- Finally, Ben Feringa built upon the ideas of the other two chemists, by controlling the movement of the molecules on the chain. Through use of ultraviolet light, Feringa was able to control the exact movement of the molecules, therefore creating a fully functional molecular motor.
Why Did They Win?
Ultimately, the end result of the project was winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2016. These micro machines, above numerous other contestants, were chosen because of their ability to due a variety of tasks in multiple fields, including: medicine, engineering, and health care.
Furthermore, the machines were truly revolutionary in the way that they were constructed. Different from typical chemical bonds, these machines are bound by mechanical bonds.