Ben L. Feringa
Papers
10
Total Citations
2,415
H-Index
9
About
Ben L. Feringa stands as one of the most visionary figures in nanoscience and molecular engineering, widely recognized as a pioneer in the design and control of molecular machines. His groundbreaking work on light-driven molecular motors and switches earned him the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and his Nobel Lecture — cited nearly 750 times — remains an essential entry point into the field. Feringa's research spans the architecture of molecules capable of directional mechanical motion, exemplified by his celebrated work on a four-wheeled molecule navigating a metal surface under electrical drive (762 citations), a landmark demonstration that nanoscale locomotion is achievable with precision. His early contributions to optical data storage using photoswitchable organic materials (492 citations) foreshadowed decades of innovation in stimuli-responsive systems. More recently, Feringa has translated molecular motor motion into macroscopic mechanical effects by embedding these machines within liquid-crystal networks, opening exciting pathways toward soft robotics and programmable actuators. His contributions to asymmetric catalysis via phosphoramidite ligands further underscore his breadth. Across chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology, Feringa's work has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of what molecules can be made to do.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2The Art of Building Small: From Molecular Switches to Motors (Nobel Lecture)749 citations · 2017
- 3Organic materials for reversible optical data storage492 citations · 1993
- 4
- 5Light-driven molecular switches and motors94 citations · 2002
- 6
- 7
- 8Macroscopic motion from synchronized molecular power strokes27 citations · 2023
- 9
- 10Light-gated redox switching and actuation in polymer hydrogels7 citations · 2025