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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