An international team of molecular physicists and synthetic chemists achieved a major breakthrough in nanotechnology by fabricating a bidirectional, electricity-driven molecular rotor inspired by the ancient Archimedes’ screw. Operating at the scale of a single nanometer, the microscopic helical structure translates electrical current into coordinated mechanical rotation, pumping electrons and molecular carriers along its coiled atomic backbone. Experimental measurements revealed that activating the molecular screw increases electrical conductivity through the system by up to a hundredfold compared to static molecular junctions.
The engineering breakthrough enables precise nanoscale fluidic manipulation and directional electronic transport, overcoming thermal Brownian motion barriers that typically hinder nanomechanical engines. Researchers demonstrated that reversing applied voltage polarity smoothly flips the direction of mechanical rotation, providing unprecedented deterministic control over molecular-scale transport phenomena. Materials scientists noted that functional molecular motors modeled on classical mechanics pave the way for next-generation molecular computing architectures, targeted therapeutic drug delivery pumps, and ultra-dense smart nanomaterials.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
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Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261030002940.htm