The gyromagnetic activity of gold nanostars (NSTs) with magnetic cores can be controlled by chemical signals, using a supramolecular approach. NSTs were functionalized with methyl viologen dication (MV2+), then tethered onto a naphthol (Np)-coated surface using cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]), a macrocyclic 'handcuff' that forms a stable ternary inclusion complex with MV2+ and Np in water. Increasing the CB[8] concentration causes the NSTs to become fully immobilized, but treating the bound NSTs with neurotransmitters such as dopamine restores their ability to generate gyromagnetic signals. This chemionic system provides a unique example of synthetic neurotransmission, with potential applications in the design of chemically triggered nano-mechanical devices.

Neurochemically gated activity of gyromagnetic nanostars

246th National Meeting (2013)

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