Biomimicry enhances future molecular machines with first artificial molecular pump

05/19/2015 - 00:00

Using nature for inspiration, a team of Northwestern University scientists is the first to develop an entirely artificial molecular pump, in which molecules pump other molecules. This tiny machine is no small feat. The pump one day might be used to power other molecular machines, such as artificial muscles.

The new machine mimics the pumping mechanism of life-sustaining proteins that move small molecules around living cells to metabolize and store energy from food.


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Ref:  An artificial molecular pump.  Nature Nanotechnology (2015) | DOI:10.1038/nnano.2015.96