Breakthrough: Scientists develop artificial molecules that behave like
real ones

Date:
June 8, 2023
Source:
Radboud University Nijmegen
Summary:
Scientists have developed synthetic molecules that resemble real
organic molecules. A collaboration of researcher can now simulate
the behavior of real molecules by using artificial molecules.


Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email

==========================================================================
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Scientists from the Radboud University have developed synthetic molecules
that resemble real organic molecules. A collaboration of researchers, led
by Alex Khajetoorians and Daniel Wegner, can now simulate the behaviour
of real molecules by using artificial molecules. In this way, they can
tweak properties of molecules in ways that are normally difficult or unrealistic, and they can understand much better how molecules change.

Emil Sierda, who was in charge of conducting the experiments at
Radboud University: 'A few years ago we had this crazy idea to build
a quantum simulator. We wanted to create artificial molecules that
resembled real molecules. So we developed a system in which we can trap electrons. Electrons surround a molecule like a cloud, and we used those trapped electrons to build an artificial molecule.' The results the team
found were astonishing. Sierda: 'The resemblance between what we built
and real molecules was uncanny.' Changing molecules Alex Khajetoorians,
head of the Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) department at the Institute
for Molecules and Materials of Radboud University: 'Making molecules is difficult enough. What is often harder, is to understand how certain
molecules react, for example how they change when they are twisted or
altered.' How molecules change and react is the basis of chemistry, and
leads to chemical reactions, like the formation of water from hydrogen
and oxygen.

'We wanted to simulate molecules, so we could have the ultimate toolkit
to bend them and tune them in ways that are nearly impossible with
real molecules. In that way we can say something about real molecules,
without making them, or without having to deal with the challenges they present, like their constantly changing shape.' Benzene Using this
simulator, the researchers created an artificial version of one of the
basic organic molecules in chemistry: benzene. Benzene is the starting component for a vast amount of chemicals, like styrene, which is used
to make polystyrene. Khajetoorians: 'By making benzene, we simulated
a textbook organic molecule, and built a molecule that is made up of
elements that are not organic.' Above that: the molecules are 10 times
bigger than their real counterparts, which makes them easier to work with.

Practical uses The uses of this new technique are endless. Daniel Wegner, assistant professor within the SPM department: 'We have only begun
to imagine what we can use this for. We have so many ideas that it is
hard to decide where to start.' By using the simulator, scientists can understand molecules and their reactions much better, which will help
in every scientific field imaginable. Wegner: 'New materials for future computer hardware are really hard to make, for instance.

By making a simulated version, we can look for the novel properties and functionalities of certain molecules and evaluate whether it will be
worth making the real material.' In the far future, all kinds of things
may be possible: understanding chemical reactions step by step like in
a slow-motion video, or making artificial single-molecule electronic
devices, like shrinking the size of a transistor on a computer
chip. Quantum simulators are even suggested to perform as quantum
computers. Sierda: 'But that's a long way to go, for now we can start
by beginning to understand molecules in a way we never understood before.'
* RELATED_TOPICS
o Matter_&_Energy
# Organic_Chemistry # Chemistry # Nature_of_Water
# Materials_Science # Inorganic_Chemistry
# Virtual_Environment # Spintronics #
Engineering_and_Construction
* RELATED_TERMS
o Chemistry o Microwave o Polymer o Evaporation o
Fluid_mechanics o Organic_chemistry o Ice_core o Nanotechnology

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Radboud_University_Nijmegen. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. E. Sierda, X. Huang, D. I. Badrtdinov, B. Kiraly, E. J. Knol, G. C.

Groenenboom, M. I. Katsnelson, M. Ro"sner, D. Wegner, A. A.

Khajetoorians. Quantum simulator to emulate lower-dimensional
molecular structure. Science, 2023; 380 (6649): 1048 DOI:
10.1126/science.adf2685 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230608195633.htm

--- up 1 year, 14 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)