Affiliation:
1. SAMS Research Group CNRS Université de Strasbourg Institut Charles Sadron UPR 22 Strasbourg 67000 France
2. CNRS Institut Charles Sadron UPR 22 Strasbourg 67000 France
3. Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) Paris 75005 France
Abstract
AbstractArtificial molecular motors have the potential to generate mechanical work on their environment by producing autonomous unidirectional motions when supplied with a source of energy. However, the harnessing of this mechanical work to subsequently activate various endoenergetic processes that can be useful in materials science remains elusive. Here, it is shown that by integrating a light‐driven rotary motor through hydrogen bonds in a β‐amyloid‐like structure forming supramolecular hydrogels, the mechanical work generated during the constant rotation of the molecular machine under UV irradiation is sufficient to disrupt the β‐amyloid fibers and to trigger a gel‐to‐sol transition at macroscopic scale. This melting of the gel under UV irradiation occurs 25 °C below the temperature needed to melt it by solely using thermal activation. In the dark, a reversible sol–gel transition is observed as the system fully recovers its original microstructure, thus illustrating the possible access to new kinds of motorized materials that can be controlled by advanced out‐of‐equilibrium thermodynamics.
Funder
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Université de Strasbourg
H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Subject
Mechanical Engineering,Mechanics of Materials,General Materials Science