Simulation of Rotary Motion Generated by Head-to-Head Carbon Nanotube Shuttles

A novel rotary nanomotor is described using two axially aligned, opposing chirality nanotube shuttles. Based on intershell screw-like motion of nanotubes, rotary motion is generated by electrostatically pulling the two cores together. Simulations using molecular dynamics show the generation of rotation from armchair nanotube pairs and their actuation properties. The simulation results point toward the use of these motors as building blocks in nanoelectromechanical systems and nanorobotic systems for sensing, actuation, and computation applications.