Issue 3, 2017

An introduction to ratchets in chemistry and biology

Abstract

This article is an accessible introduction to ratchets and their potential uses. A ratchet can dramatically improve directional transport of classical or quantum particles in systems that are dominated by random diffusion. The key idea is that ratchets do not overcome poor conductivity with strong gradients, but rather use non-directional sources of energy like heat or chemical energy to power unidirectional transport, making the ratchet a Maxwell's demon. We introduce the ratchet concept and its inspiration from biology, discuss the terminology used in the field, and examine current progress and ideas in ratcheting electrons and classical particles.

Graphical abstract: An introduction to ratchets in chemistry and biology

Article information

Article type
Focus
Submitted
02 feb 2017
Accepted
13 feb 2017
First published
17 feb 2017

Mater. Horiz., 2017,4, 310-318

An introduction to ratchets in chemistry and biology

B. Lau, O. Kedem, J. Schwabacher, D. Kwasnieski and E. A. Weiss, Mater. Horiz., 2017, 4, 310 DOI: 10.1039/C7MH00062F

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