Polyrotaxane Actuators

Abstract

With the emergence of supramolecular chemistry and modern nanotechnology, a great deal of research has been conducted on idiosyncratic classes of molecular structures held together by non-covalent mechanical interactions. Examples include the catenanes, rotaxanes, and knots, which are termed mechanically interlocked molecules. Steadily but inevitably, mechanically interlinked architectures are beginning to effectuate their promise as components of molecular machines that display a number of outstanding performances. Moreover, the consolidation of chemical, biological, and physical sciences has unlocked multitudinous and versatile techniques to implement supramolecular structures into new hybrid materials and stimuli-responsive artificial machines at the molecular level, such as actuators, muscles, shuttles, motors, pumps, valves, switches, piston-cylinders, ratchets, elevators, and so on. The chapter “Polyrotaxane Actuators” is organized into four sections. In the first section, the definition, synthesis, and properties of rotaxanes and polyrotaxanes are given. The design, synthesis, applications, and modifications of polyrotaxane-based molecular machines are described in the second section. The third and fourth sections delineate the practical and effective uses of polyrotaxanes in the fabrication of soft materials and the future prospects of polyrotaxanes as actuators, respectively.