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 Concept Videos

Bonding in Metals02:32

Bonding in Metals

52.1K
Metallic bonds are formed between two metal atoms. A simplified model to describe metallic bonding has been developed by Paul Drüde called the “Electron Sea Model”. 
52.1K
Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

20.5K
Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
20.5K
Alkali Metals03:06

Alkali Metals

24.2K
Group 1 elements are soft and shiny metallic solids. They are malleable, ductile, and good conductors of heat and electricity. The melting points of the alkali metals are unusually low for metals and decrease going down the group, while the density increases going down the group with the exception of potassium (Table 1).
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
24.2K
Metal-Ligand Bonds02:51

Metal-Ligand Bonds

24.1K
The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
24.1K
Properties of Transition Metals02:58

Properties of Transition Metals

29.7K
Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3–12 are transition elements. The f-block elements, also called inner transition metals (the lanthanides and actinides), also meet this criterion because the d orbital is partially occupied before the f orbitals.
29.7K
Molecular Comparison of Gases, Liquids, and Solids02:26

Molecular Comparison of Gases, Liquids, and Solids

54.3K
Particles in a solid are tightly packed together (fixed shape) and often arranged in a regular pattern; in a liquid, they are close together with no regular arrangement (no fixed shape); in a gas, they are far apart with no regular arrangement (no fixed shape). Particles in a solid vibrate about fixed positions (cannot flow) and do not generally move in relation to one another; in a liquid, they move past each other (can flow) but remain in essentially constant contact; in a gas, they move...
54.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Dual responsive enzyme mimicking activity of AgX (X=Cl, Br, I) nanoparticles and its application for cancer cell detection.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2014
Same author

Naphthoquinone-directed C-H annulation and C(sp³)-H bond cleavage: one-pot synthesis of tetracyclic naphthoxazoles.

The Journal of organic chemistry·2014
Same author

Pulmonary toxicity in mice following exposure to cerium chloride.

Biological trace element research·2014
Same author

Role of surgery in the treatment of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma who have a poor response to induction chemotherapy.

Journal of pediatric surgery·2014
Same author

Glutathione-S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1) and acute leukemia risk in Asians: a meta-analysis.

Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP·2014
Same author

Influence of casting solvent on phenyl ordering at the surface of spin cast polymer thin films.

Journal of colloid and interface science·2014
Same journal

Dynamic-Based Path Planning and Locomotion of Tensegrity Robots Considering Environmental Interaction.

Soft robotics·2026
Same journal

A Soft Magnetic Jamming Method Enabling Variable Stiffness and Active Steering for Robotic Catheter.

Soft robotics·2026
Same journal

Research on the Design of Variable Stiffness Adhesive Feet and Cooperative Crawling Mechanism for Soft Bionic Gecko-Inspired Wall-Climbing Robots.

Soft robotics·2026
Same journal

Bioinspired Swallowing Soft Gripper with Toroidal Optical Waveguides for Multimodal Interactive Perception.

Soft robotics·2026
Same journal

Plant-Inspired Elastic-Hydraulic Tactile Sensing Enables Quantitative Stiffness Estimation in Soft Robots.

Soft robotics·2026
Same journal

Ultrastable Soft Capacitive Tactile Sensor with Impedance-Modulated Signal.

Soft robotics·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K

Triboelectric Effect-Driven Liquid Metal Actuators.

Tianzhao Bu1,2, Hang Yang1,2, Wenbo Liu1,2

  • 1CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Beijing Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Energy and Sensor, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China.

Soft Robotics
|June 21, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) drive liquid metal actuators (TLMAs) for precise control of liquid metal motion. This technology enables applications in micro-electromechanical systems and liquid robotics.

Keywords:
actuatorcontrol switchliquid metaltriboelectric nanogenerator

More Related Videos

Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode
08:41

Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode

Published on: August 5, 2015

12.2K
Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K
Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode
08:41

Ultrasound Velocity Measurement in a Liquid Metal Electrode

Published on: August 5, 2015

12.2K
Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Robotics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Liquid metals (LMs) possess unique properties like conductivity, fluidity, and stability, making them suitable for electromechanical systems and liquid robots.
  • Controlling the motion of liquid metals is crucial for developing advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate triboelectric effect-driven liquid metal actuators (TLMAs) for precise control of LM motion.
  • To explore the potential applications of TLMAs in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), liquid robots, and intelligent microcontrollers.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) to drive liquid metal actuators.
  • Employing Coulomb forces from transferred triboelectric charges and inertia effects for motion control.
  • Demonstrating linear, circular, reciprocating, and merging motions of liquid metals.

Main Results:

  • Accurate control of liquid metal motion was achieved using TENGs.
  • TLMAs demonstrated capabilities as control switches for electronic devices (e.g., LED on/off).
  • A transport system based on TLMAs was successfully demonstrated.

Conclusions:

  • TENGs can effectively drive and control liquid metals, paving the way for novel electromechanical systems.
  • TLMAs offer a promising platform for micro-robotics, micro-actuators, and intelligent control systems.
  • This work highlights the potential of TENG-driven LMs in advanced technological applications.