Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!ames!ptsfa!well!pokey From: pokey@well.UUCP (Jef Poskanzer) Newsgroups: sci.misc Subject: Nanotechnology: structure question Message-ID: <4630@well.UUCP> Date: Sat, 5-Dec-87 01:00:58 EST Article-I.D.: well.4630 Posted: Sat Dec 5 01:00:58 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 10-Dec-87 06:14:57 EST Organization: Paratheo-Anametamystikhood Of Eris Esoteric, Ada Lovelace Cabal Lines: 33 Drexler's sample mechanical nanocomputer uses carbon polymer rods as linkages. These rods, one atom thick with with double bonds between each atom, are quite strong. However, unless they are held in a groove or channel of some kind, they get kinks, so their uses are limited. I've got an idea for a different rod that might not get kinks. It's a hollow cylinder of carbon atoms. Each cross-section is a singly-linked ring of carbons, and there are also single bonds between the carbons in adjacent rings. The number of carbons per ring could be varied. Do I have to draw a diagram? Oh, ok. Here's a short segment of a six atom per ring rod: --C-------C-------C-- / \ / \ / \ / --C---/---C---/---C-- --C-------C-------C-- | | --C--|----C--|----C-- --C-------C-------C-- / \ / \ / \ / --C-------C-------C-- This would not be a replacement for the doubly-linked rod -- it would have different uses. For instance, it might work as the above-mentioned channel, if the doubly-linked rod would fit down the middle. So, my question is, how stable would this structure be? Do you think a rod like this would just sit there in, say, water at STP, or would it kink up and turn into graphite? --- Jef Jef Poskanzer jef@lbl-rtsg.arpa ...well!pokey "Everybody is somebody else's weirdo." -- Dykstra