'Molecular Legos' Net Professor, Student Nanotech Prize
A University of Pittsburgh researcher and his student have been awarded prestigious prizes from the Foresight Nanotech Institute for their work in developing a "molecular Lego庐 set" that will enable, for the first time, the quick manufacture of sturdy, predictable nanostructures.
Christian Schafmeister, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and a researcher in the University鈥檚 Institute of NanoScience and Engineering (INSE), was awarded the 2005 Foresight Institute Feynman Prize for experimental work, named in honor of pioneer physicist Richard Feynman. Schafmeister鈥檚 student Christopher Levins, a doctoral candidate in chemistry, received the Foresight Distinguished Student Award for work that he did within the umbrella of Schafmeister鈥檚 research. They received the awards at the institute鈥檚 awards banquet Oct. 26.
Schafmeister has designed 14 small molecules, each of which is about half a nanometer across and includes two removable molecular caps. Controlled chemical reactions strategically strip away the caps, causing the molecules to link together in predictable ways with pairs of stiff bonds鈥攕imilar to Lego庐 blocks. He has snapped together 3.6-nanometer rods and 1.8-nanometer crescents, and has developed software that can aid in the construction of a wide variety of shapes.
With this method of nanofabrication, which he calls 鈥渁 completely new field,鈥� Schafmeister is using his blocks to craft hinged, molecular traps that attract specific molecules, snap shut, and light up, serving as perfect chemical sensors鈥攋ust one of an almost infinite number of possible uses. Molecules with customized cavities could serve as catalysts or biomedical agents. Because the molecules are large enough to have interesting functions and rigid, designed shapes, they hold great promise as nanoscale parts for future atomically precise nanoscale machines.
鈥淲e鈥檙e developing a new programming language for matter,鈥� said Schafmeister, 鈥渁nd we鈥檙e writing, 鈥楬ello, world.鈥欌��
Levins is working on one approach to constructing complex nanoscale devices by developing a systematic methodology for the design and synthesis of rigid macromolecular scaffolds. 鈥淐hris made some of the first breakthroughs鈥攂uilding blocks and larger structures鈥攊n our research,鈥� said Schafmeister.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to see Dr. Schafmeister and his student honored for nanotechnology research,鈥� said University Provost James V. Maher. 鈥淧itt鈥檚 program in nanoscience is focused on platform technologies, like Dr. Schafmeister鈥檚, that will have a real impact on future research and applications.鈥�
Source: University of Pittsburgh
