Information-to-free-energy conversion: Utilizing thermal fluctuations.

Biophysics (Nagoya-shi)

Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, Kasuga, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan.

Published: August 2016

Maxwell's demon is a hypothetical creature that can convert information to free energy. A debate that has lasted for more than 100 years has revealed that the demon's operation does not contradict the laws of thermodynamics; hence, the demon can be realized physically. We briefly review the first experimental demonstration of Maxwell's demon of Szilard's engine type that converts information to free energy. We pump heat from an isothermal environment by using the information about the thermal fluctuations of a Brownian particle and increase the particle's free energy.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4629685PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.2142/biophysics.9.107DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

free energy
12
thermal fluctuations
8
maxwell's demon
8
information-to-free-energy conversion
4
conversion utilizing
4
utilizing thermal
4
fluctuations maxwell's
4
demon hypothetical
4
hypothetical creature
4
creature convert
4

Similar Publications

This paper presented the preparation, characterization, and adsorption properties of Brazil nut shell activated carbon for catechol removal from aqueous solutions. The equilibrium adsorption of catechol molecules on this activated was experimentally quantified at pH 6 and temperatures ranging from 25 to 55 °C, and at 25 °C and pH ranging from 6 to 10. These results were utilized to elucidate the role of surface functionalities through statistical physics calculations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) presents a significant global health issue due to its widespread prevalence and the absence of a reliable vaccine for prevention. While significant progress has been achieved in therapeutic interventions since the disease was first identified, its resurgence underscores the need for innovative strategies to combat it. The nonstructural protein NS5A is crucial in the life cycle of the HCV, serving as a significant factor in both viral replication and assembly processes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fermi polarons are emerging quasiparticles when a bosonic impurity immersed in a fermionic bath. Depending on the boson-fermion interaction strength, the Fermi-polaron resonances exhibit either attractive or repulsive interactions, which impose further experimental challenges on understanding the subtle light-driven dynamics. Here, we report the light-driven dynamics of attractive and repulsive Fermi polarons in monolayer WSe devices.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Electrochemically synthesized HO at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets.

Nat Commun

December 2024

Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China.

Carbon nanomaterials show outstanding promise as electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide (HO) synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. However, carbon-based electrocatalysts that are capable of generating HO at industrial-level current densities (>300 mA cm) with high selectivity and long-term stability remain to be discovered. Herein, few-layer boron nanosheets are in-situ introduced into a porous carbon matrix, creating a metal-free electrocatalyst (B-C) with HO production rates of industrial relevance in neutral or alkaline media.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nanoscale polarization transient gratings.

Nat Commun

December 2024

Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., S.S. 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, 34149, Trieste, Italy.

Light manipulation at the nanoscale is essential both for fundamental science and modern technology. The quest to shorter lengthscales, however, requires the use of light wavelengths beyond the visible. In particular, in the extreme ultraviolet regime these manipulation capabilities are hampered by the lack of efficient optics, especially for polarization control.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!