The second edition of the NanoCar Race, the smallest car race in the world, took place on Thursday and Friday in a Toulouse CNRS laboratory, bringing together scientists from all over the world.
Measuring just a few nanometers, these single-molecule vehicles had to travel the longest distance possible in 24 hours in order to advance miniaturization research.
A Toulouse-Japanese team, notably made up of teachers at Paul-Sabatier University, took part in the event, determined to beat their record when their car had remained stationary during the first edition in 2017.
It was a very special race that took place on Thursday and Friday at Cemes, the Center for the Development of Materials and Structural Studies, in Toulouse.
We are not talking about millimeters or micrometers here… but rather nanometers (one billionth of a meter) for the “car molecules” of the eight international teams that competed in this second edition of the NanoCar Race.
“It requires a lot of preparation, it's a bit like launching a rocket, explains Christian Joachim, CNRS research director in charge of the race.
Each molecule machine is remotely controlled by the PC of one of the teams and must move on a crystal of pure gold under vacuum.
The goal is to cover the longest distance in 24 hours, with a bonus for each turn made.
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A technology that could prove revolutionary
As a prize, a trophy and subscriptions to scientific journals, but not only, since the objective is above all to advance research on miniaturization.
The director wants to be realistic – the process could just as well end up in a library – but remains confident in the future of this technology worthy of a science fiction film.
“One day, these small machines could sort our industrial waste atom by atom or even accelerate our electronic circuits for a lower energy cost.
But for the moment, we are still trying to understand how we manage to control a single molecule so easily.
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"It's a bit like Lego"
Among the eight teams from around the world to test their unique vehicle invisible to the naked eye, a Toulouse-Japanese team took part.
Made in Japan, their molecule, called Blue Buggy, is made up of around a hundred atoms of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and zinc.
“We had to assemble the molecule atom by atom, it's a bit like Lego, explains Claire Kammerer, 39, chemist and member of the team.
It measures 1 nanometer in length and 1.5 in width with a frame, a dipole which reacts according to electric fields, and two propellers to raise the whole thing.
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These are crucial as the old version of the vehicle was unable to move forward during the first edition in 2017. “The chassis had hung on the surface.
If today we could even make it move, even slowly, that would be great, enthuses the lecturer at Paul-Sabatier University.
To give an idea, it is a million times smaller than an ant.
It would have been fun to handle with a joystick!
she laughs.
For the time being, the controls are with olivier Guillermet, 44, also a university lecturer, who will be responsible for being the pilot.
"We've been preparing for seven months," says the physicist, who scans his computer, which contains a multitude of parameters.
We can see on the screen, connected to the microscope, fuzzy clusters of small gray and white spheres on golden streaks.
“As our molecule has been sprayed by the billions on the crystal, the object of the game is first to find one that is intact and to bring it to a furrow with few obstacles.
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“At least we will have done better than in 2017”
Once the ideal molecule has been found, the starting signal comes.
It is now an endurance race for those who will have to stay 24 hours in front of their screen.
“We've just done two nanometers in twenty seconds, that's a lot!
“, he exclaims, when the race has just started.
But a grain of sand quickly sneaks into the machine: the tip of the microscope, supposed to send the electrical impulses necessary for the movement of the molecule, has just struck and destroyed it.
“It's a shame, regrets Olivier.
We will waste time because we will have to find another one, but at least we will have done better than in 2017. "
Results the next day: Victory for the Hispano-Swedish team, finishing tied alongside the Japanese, with nearly a thousand nanometers covered in 24 hours and 54 bends.
The Toulouse-Japanese team, meanwhile, came 6th with 150 nanometers and 10 bends.
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