Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Microfabrication of Nanoporous Gold Patterns for Cell-material Interaction Studies
13:02

Microfabrication of Nanoporous Gold Patterns for Cell-material Interaction Studies

Published on: July 15, 2013

Surface-chemistry-driven actuation in nanoporous gold.

J Biener1, A Wittstock, L A Zepeda-Ruiz

  • 1Nanoscale Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA. biener2@llnl.gov

Nature Materials
|December 2, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel way to create mechanical motion using only chemical reactions, bypassing the need for heat or electricity. This surface-chemistry-driven actuation in nanoporous gold offers new possibilities for advanced sensors and actuators.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

First Demonstration of Improved Fusion Yield with Increased Compression through Reduced Adiabat in Inertial Confinement Fusion Experiments at the National Ignition Facility.

Physical review letters·2025
Same author

Development of a true single line of sight 3D hot-spot imaging for the National Ignition Facility.

The Review of scientific instruments·2025
Same author

Quantifying physical degradation alongside recording and stimulation performance of 980 intracortical microelectrodes chronically implanted in three humans for 956-2246 days.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2024
Same author

The impact of low-mode symmetry on inertial fusion energy output in the burning plasma state.

Nature communications·2024
Same author

Observations and properties of the first laboratory fusion experiment to exceed a target gain of unity.

Physical review. E·2024
Same author

Achievement of Target Gain Larger than Unity in an Inertial Fusion Experiment.

Physical review letters·2024

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Biological systems utilize chemical energy for actuation, a principle not yet replicated in artificial actuators which typically rely on thermal or electrical energy conversion.
  • Existing artificial actuators face limitations due to energy conversion inefficiencies and the need for external power sources like heat or electricity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate direct chemical-to-mechanical energy conversion in artificial materials.
  • To explore the potential of surface chemistry in driving actuation in high-surface-area nanomaterials.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized nanoporous gold as a high-surface-area material platform.
  • Exposed the nanoporous gold to alternating cycles of ozone and carbon monoxide.

More Related Videos

Versatile Technique to Produce a Hierarchical Design in Nanoporous Gold
05:28

Versatile Technique to Produce a Hierarchical Design in Nanoporous Gold

Published on: February 10, 2023

Synthesis and Catalytic Performance of Gold Intercalated in the Walls of Mesoporous Silica
11:02

Synthesis and Catalytic Performance of Gold Intercalated in the Walls of Mesoporous Silica

Published on: July 9, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Microfabrication of Nanoporous Gold Patterns for Cell-material Interaction Studies
13:02

Microfabrication of Nanoporous Gold Patterns for Cell-material Interaction Studies

Published on: July 15, 2013

Versatile Technique to Produce a Hierarchical Design in Nanoporous Gold
05:28

Versatile Technique to Produce a Hierarchical Design in Nanoporous Gold

Published on: February 10, 2023

Synthesis and Catalytic Performance of Gold Intercalated in the Walls of Mesoporous Silica
11:02

Synthesis and Catalytic Performance of Gold Intercalated in the Walls of Mesoporous Silica

Published on: July 9, 2015

  • Measured reversible strain amplitudes resulting from the chemical exposures.

    • Main Results:

    • Achieved reversible strain amplitudes of a few tenths of a percent in nanoporous gold.
    • Demonstrated direct conversion of chemical energy into mechanical response.
    • Explained the actuation mechanism through adsorbate-induced surface stress changes.

    Conclusions:

    • Surface-chemistry-driven actuation is feasible in high-surface-area materials like nanoporous gold.
    • This approach bypasses intermediate energy conversion steps (heat/electricity), directly using chemical energy.
    • Opens new avenues for developing innovative chemical-driven actuator and sensor technologies.