Tooltip chemistry
Tooltip chemistry is the term for the special kind of chemistry that takes place when robotic means are used to bring molecular components precisely together such that a certain desired permanent chemical transformation is enforced and archived with very high probability. In short when mechanosynthesis is performed. Usually covalent bonds are involved.
Typical processes are:
- picking molecules from pockets
- modifying molecular moieties on tooltips
- depositing molecular moieties to workpieces
For carbon as building material extensive studies have been done [1] since this kind of tooltip chemistry was of central importance for showing the feasibility of advanced productive AP nanosystems (technology level III)
At the first step toward advanced APM systems (the step towards technology level I) the involved tooltip chemistry is largely non covalent and untypical. It more resembles a conventional macroscopic assembly process. Here complementary surfaces can be used that stick together by VdW and ionic attraction forces. For the next step to technology level II tooltip chemistry is yet largely unclassified and unexplored.
[Todo: add image of the 9 tools] [Todo: add arrow diagram of the complete set of refresh cycles from the minimal toolset for positional diamond mechanosynthesis! - this is needed for e.g. mill design. Split recharging diagram from deposition diagram]
Beside for building of structures tooltip chemistry can be used for energy conversion.
Related
- Piezomechanochemistry
- Resource molecules
- Tooltip cycle
- List of proposed tooltips for diamond mechanosynthesis
- A Minimal Toolset for Positional Diamond Mechanosynthesis (paper)
- Piezochemical mechanosynthesis
- Fun with spins
External references
- A Minimal Toolset for Positional Diamond Mechanosynthesis from Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Ralph C. Merkle - Institute for Molecular Manufacturing, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
- A flow-chart extracted out of the minimal toolset paper.
- Wikipedia: Hydrogen atom abstraction
