Letter abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 595 - 597 (2008)
Published online: 14 September 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.263
Subject Categories: Carbon nanotubes and fullerenes | Surface patterning and imaging
Imaging the passage of a single hydrocarbon chain through a nanopore
Masanori Koshino1, Niclas Solin2,3, Takatsugu Tanaka2, Hiroyuki Isobe2,3 & Eiichi Nakamura1,2
Abstract
Molecular transport through nanoscale pores in films, membranes and wall structures is of fundamental importance in a number of physical, chemical and biological processes1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. However, there is a lack of experimental methods that can obtain information on the structure and orientation of the molecules as they pass through the pore, and their interactions with the pore during passage. Imaging with a transmission electron microscope is a powerful method for studying structural changes in single molecules as they move7, 8 and for imaging molecules confined inside carbon nanotubes9. Here, we report that such imaging can be used to observe the structure and orientation of a hydrocarbon chain as it passes through nanoscale defects in the walls of a single-walled carbon nanotube to the vacuum outside, and also to study the interactions between the chain and the nanopore. Based on experiments at 293 K and 4 K we conclude that the major energy source for the molecular motions observed at 4 K is the electron beam used for the imaging.
- Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology (ERATO), Nakamura Functional Carbon Cluster Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
- Present address: Arrhenius Laboratory, Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden (N.S.); Department of Chemistry, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8578, Japan (H.I.)
Correspondence to: Hiroyuki Isobe2,3 e-mail: isobe@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Correspondence to: Eiichi Nakamura1,2 e-mail: nakamura@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Electron microscopy Molecular freeze frameNature Nanotechnology News and Views (01 Jul 2007)
RESEARCH
Essential role of Id2 in negative regulation of IgE class switchingNature Immunology Article (01 Jan 2003)
Imaging the dynamic behaviour of individual retinal chromophores confined inside carbon nanotubesNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Jul 2007)
Surfactant-assisted fabrication of free-standing inorganic sheets covering an array of micrometre-sized holesNature Materials Article (01 Sep 2007)
See all 25 matches for Research
