Modular molecular composite nanosystem

Very crude conceptual example of part of an MMCN. Red may represent proteins, Blue dots may represent binding sites/active sites. dark grey blocks and grid of black may represent bigger structures (maybe structural DNA nanotechnology). Yellow way represent a gold contact on a chip for electrostatic interaction. White outline: A hinge. ...

Modular molecular composite nanosystems (MMCNs).
A term coined by Eric Drexler on his former blog. See link to archived page below.
This page is an interpretation/guess on the intended meaning.

General definition

• M Molecular ... atomically precise molecules (topological atomic precision or better)
  rather than nanoparticles with a statistical distribution in size
• M Modular ... parts are modular that is they have standard interfaces and are thus (not necessarily reversibly) composable in many different ways
  rather than systems that are one-off solutions or one specific problem
• C composite ... the combining of different foldamer and molecule technologies.
• N Nano ... typical size scale
• S System ... see wikipedias definiton on that

Compositeness

MMCNs are semi advanced productive nanosystems on an intermediate technology level.
They make heavy use of results of foldamer R&D such as results in:

• Structural DNA nanotechnology
• de-novo proteins and
• other synthetic small molecules ...

Degree of advancedness

MMCNs are quite low in the stack of technology levels.
They are situated at:

• End of Technology level 0
• Mainly Technology level I
• Beginning of Technology level II

Related: Technology levels & Downward inward

MMCNs are quite high up the technological capability in terms of hierarchical selfassembly.
Related: Hierarchical selfassembly & Upward outward

Motions in these systems will typically be limited to weak mechanosynthesis only. That is:

• There is more or less guided motion
• There is little to no capability to actively apply forces to accelerate reactions

On the less guided motion end of weak mechanosynthesis there is tether assisted assembly.
Which may be made use of in MMCNs.

Concrete picture(s)

Larger scale addressable grids (good termination control) Including minimal basic means for:

• actuation
• sensing
• data IO interfacing to today's macroscale systems
• internal computation (e.g. flippable operation modes)

(wiki-TODO: add graphic)

One main use for MMSNs may be the sequencing chemistry for small molecules.
E.g. catalyzing reactions is a specified sequence (sensing molecules is much easier than catalysis as catching and binding is a sub problem to doing reactions) perhaps somewhat programmable.

MMCNs could also transport and place bigger blocks mainly by exploiting thermal motion (thermal nonequilibrium feynman ratches)
Though, transporting bigger blocks and semi-positionally assembling them to even bigger structures (microns to visible scales and beyond)
may be more closely related to what on this wiki will be called the Robo approach.

Limitations

Main limitation

More advanced materials beyond foldamers are out of reach for MMCNs due to
the lack of means for suppression of thermal motions in stronger mechanosynthesis based on more advanced materials.
A chicken egg problem. Yes. Needs a look in more details to spot resolvability.

MMCNs are early in the bootstrapping towards gem-gum technology.
Specifically they are early on the gem side of gem-gum.
See: Bootstrapping atomic precision & Downward inward in expanding the kinematic loop

Minor limitations

• Effective concentration can only be increased by steric constraints increasing encounter rates by spacial proximity.
• Effective concentration can not be increased by applied forces as this is not yet possible.

MMCN's will be slower lower throughput

Delineation

Unlike systems more advanced in the technology levels
these early systems are likely much more voluminous and
perhaps even fully free floating rather that a thin layer firmly anchored onto a chips surface.

These systems could be called "nanofactories" of "foldamer nanofactories" but not
"gemstone metamaterial (gem-gum) nanofactories".

Related

• Eric Drexler's blog partially dug up from the Internet Archive
• Advanced productive nanosystems
• Robo approach

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• Combining advantages of different selfassembly technologies
• Incremental path

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• Kind of analogy along the incremental path:
  Early diamondoid nanosystem pixel (direct path)

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• Mixed path
• Direct path analogy: Early diamondoid nanosystem pixel (direct path)

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• Foldamer printers could be part of MMCNs.

External links

• 2008-11-10 from Eric Drexlers blog: Modular Molecular Composite Nanosystems