Tying up molecules as easily as laces
Thursday, February 27, 2020 - 09:50
in Physics & Chemistry
Although knots can be a nuisance, they're also very useful when it comes to tying up your laces or when you go sailing. In maths, there are no less than 6 billion different potential knots, but what about knots in chemistry? Since the 1970s, scientists have been trying to knot molecules together to create new, custom-made mechanical properties that could give rise to new materials. The first successes took place 20 years later, but the process remains laborious.