Designed by Eric Masson and a group of graduate students, the Bobcat Nano Wagon is made out of an H-shaped frame and four “wheels” of Cucurbituril – molecules that resemble pumpkins.
By Raymond Humienny
NQPI editorial intern
The Ohio Bobcat Nano Wagon faces competition at 10:45 a.m. on April 28 during the inaugural NanoCar Race, an event sponsored by The National Center for Scientific Research.
Physics & Astronomy professor Saw-Wai Hla, Chemistry & Biochemistry professor Eric Masson and a team of graduate students hope to take home the gold medal on the molecular level. The NanoCar Race features six contestants who have constructed single-molecule vehicles without motors or fuel. Each team competes in the 100-nanometer dash, using electric jolts to excite the nanocars’ movement.
In earlier interviews, Hla said that the broader purpose of the event is to help expose and develop new means of transportation on the molecular scale. The Bobcat Nano Wagon is constructed out of four “wheels” of Cucurbituril – molecules that resemble pumpkins – and an H-shaped frame. A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) will apply the electric field energy it takes to move the nanocar.
The NanoCar Race takes place on a track made of gold with a surrounding temperature near absolute zero (-450°F or -270°C). Since each jolt from the STM move the nanocars roughly 0.3 nm, hourly animations will capture the length of the race.
For more information on the NanoCar Race, please read “The best showcase of nanotechnology so far may be this race of tiny cars”. To view the race at 10:45 a.m. on April 28, visit “NanoCar Race Live”.
Comments