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Topic Name: Researchers created a surface slime, composed of molecules with predetermined functions, and observed a fascinating self organization of these molecules into nanostructures
Category: Nanobiotechnology
Research persons: Dr. Klaus Kern, Dr. Mario Ruben, Dr. Steven Tait
Location: Nanoscale Science Department, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, United States
Details
Investigators from the research groups of Dr. Klaus Kern at the Max
Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart (MPI) and of Mario
Ruben at the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) created a surface slime, composed of molecules
with predetermined functions, and observed a fascinating self organization of
these molecules into nanostructures.
Scientists believe that their findings are a direct example, and a possible way,
on how to create simple life forms. Furthermore, they believe that their
nanostructures, reported in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences, "also hold great promise as
an efficient avenue to new catalysts, nanotechnologies, and surface
applications."
This observation of molecular organization at surfaces may lead to further
insight of how simple, inanimate molecules can build up biological entities of
increasing structural and functional complexity, such as membranes, cells,
leaves, trees, etc. "The ability of molecules to selectively sort
themselves in highly organized structures is a fundamental requirement for all
molecular based systems, including biological organisms," explains Prof.
Dr. Klaus Kern, director of the Nanoscale Science Department at the MPI.
Dr. Mario Ruben's research team at KIT is responsible for designing
molecules with built-in instructions, which when read out activate the
self-selection process. He comments: "Spontaneous ordering from random
mixtures only occurs when built-in instructions are carefully designed and
sufficiently strong to initiate successful self-selection."
Scientists at the MPI directly observe the basic step of self-selection by
imaging grid-like assemblies of molecules, which have sorted themselves by
size. The features of the grid pattern are about one nanometer in size (0.000
000 001 meters), so small that they can only be imaged using state-of-the-art,
ultra sensitive microscopy techniques. "Creating such miniscule
architectures with features 50 000 times smaller than a hair is not a simple
task," according to Dr. Steven Tait of the MPI. "Carving these
nanometer structures with current technology would be inefficient and
extremely expensive. Our strategy is to utilize instructed building blocks
which can arrange themselves into desired structures."
The molecules are placed on ultra-clean metal surfaces and heated gently to
enable motion, sorting, and organization. "The molecule movement on the
copper surface is restricted to two-dimensions, but is still efficient enough
to allow mixing of the molecules. By placing the molecules on a surface, we
have the enormous advantage of being able to use specialized microscopes to
'see' the nanometer scale structures of the molecular assemblies,"
explains Alexander Langner, a graduate student at the MPI and first author of
the study.
About Researchers:
Prof. Dr. Klaus Kern
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart
Tel.: +49 711 689-1660
E-mail: K.Kern@fkf.mpg.de
Dr. Mario Ruben
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
Institut für Nanotechnologie
Postfach 3640
D-76021 Karlsruhe
Tel./ Fax: +49 7247 82-6781/++49 7247 82-6434
ruben@int.fzk.de
Dr. Steven Tait
Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart
Tel.: +49 711 689-1617
E-mail: tait@fkf.mpg.de
About Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is the name of a cooperation between the University of Karlsruhe and the Forschungszentrum
Karlsruhe.
Historical Background
The first step to bring together the university and the Forschungszentrum was already made in 1985, when the Institut für Meteorologie and Klimaforschung (Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research) was founded. The institutes of both the university and the Forschungszentrum were merged. The university and the Forschungszentrum have always cooperated but the cooperation increased by Juli 2006 when the KIT was formally founded.
Currently, the regulatory framework for merging University of Karlsruhe and Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe are discussed by the state (Baden-Württemberg) and the federal (Germany) government.
About Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research
The Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (MPI-FKF) is part of the Max Planck Society which operates 80 research facilities in Germany. It is a research institute located in Büsnau which is part of Stuttgart, Germany.
History
The institute was founded june 1969. It moved from provisional buildings into the new built institute in september 1975. Shortly after being appointed to the institute Klaus von Klitzing reveived the Noble prize in physics in 1985.
Degree programme
The MPI for Solid State Research offers the PhD programme, International Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Advanced Materials, together with the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research and the University of Stuttgart.
National Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Advanced Materials, together with the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research and the University of Stuttgart.
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