Imagine having tiny machines that can move when you shine light on them. Now scientists have found a way to incorporate these tiny light-driven machines, called molecular motors, into everyday materials like plastic. It opens up new possibilities for making things like flexible robots or special materials that can change shape.
The scientists have developed a way of attaching these molecular motors to the building blocks of plastic, allowing them to control how the plastic behaves. They've also worked out how to make the plastic form a special kind of gel that can shrink or contract when exposed to light. This ability to change shape could be useful for creating things like artificial muscles or devices that can lift objects.
To understand how all this works, the scientists use computer simulations to study how the materials behave on a very small scale. This helps them work out how to make the materials even better and more useful.
Overall, this research could lead to exciting new developments in materials science, making it possible to create advanced materials that respond to light and have all sorts of useful applications in our everyday lives.