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

Batteries and Fuel Cells03:12

Batteries and Fuel Cells

31.4K
A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...
31.4K
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂01:29

Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂

17.7K
The energy released from the breakdown of the chemical bonds within nutrients can be stored either through the reduction of electron carriers or in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In living systems, a small class of compounds functions as mobile electron carriers, molecules that bind to and shuttle high-energy electrons between compounds in pathways. The principal electron carriers that will be considered originate from the B vitamin group and are derivatives of nucleotides; they are...
17.7K
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:26

Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

2.3K
The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
2.3K
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis01:34

The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis

14.4K
The light reactions of photosynthesis assume a linear flow of electrons from water to NADP+. During this process, light energy drives the splitting of water molecules to produce oxygen. However, oxidation of water molecules is a thermodynamically unfavorable reaction and requires a strong oxidizing agent. This is accomplished by the first product of light reactions: oxidized P680 (or P680+), the most powerful oxidizing agent known in biology. The oxidized P680 that acquires an electron from the...
14.4K
Energy to Drive Translocation01:37

Energy to Drive Translocation

2.9K
Mitochondrial protein import is powered by two distinct energy sources: ATP hydrolysis and electrochemical potential across the inner membrane. Newly synthesized precursors are bound by cytosolic chaperones of the Hsp70 family, which guide them to the import receptors on the mitochondrial surface. Utilizing the energy of ATP hydrolysis, Hsp70 chaperones transfer these precursors to the TOM receptors on the mitochondrial outer membrane.
Generally, polypeptides are unfolded by two distinct...
2.9K
Electron Carriers01:24

Electron Carriers

92.5K
Electron carriers can be thought of as electron shuttles. These compounds can easily accept electrons (i.e., be reduced) or lose them (i.e., be oxidized). They play an essential role in energy production because cellular respiration is contingent on the flow of electrons.
Over the many stages of cellular respiration, glucose breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. Electron carriers pick up electrons lost by glucose in these reactions, temporarily storing and releasing them into the electron...
92.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Dermal absorption of steartrimonium chloride (STC) for risk assessment as non-preservative cosmetics ingredient.

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA·2026
Same author

The characteristics and performance of health data domains in supporting dementia identification: A systematic review.

Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026
Same author

Self-Assembled Conjugated Hollow Fibers for Spongy Monoliths Toward Solar-Driven Desalination and Hydrovoltaic Electricity Generation.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Discovering anti-obesity blue food compounds via combined deep learning and in silico approaches.

Molecular diversity·2026
Same author

Metal-Free Submicron-Hollow-Fiber Conjugated Polymer Sponges for Efficient Pollutant Removal and Thermal Insulation.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Requirements for Achieving Self-Healing at Low/Room Temperature in Polymers.

Macromolecules·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 1, 2026

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot
07:12

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot

Published on: January 9, 2026

421

Photochemical Fuel Carrier Molecules for Robotic Embodied Energy.

Chuqi Huang1, Songah Jeong2, Ji Woo Kim2

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|February 28, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel photoresponsive fuel carrier for small robots. This molecule stores energy and releases it using UV light, enabling precise control and propulsion for microrobots and active matter systems.

Keywords:
active matterembodied energyhexafluoroisopropanolmicroroboticso‐nitrobenzylphotoresponsive moleculesself‐immolativesurface tension

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells
06:39

Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells

Published on: October 20, 2023

4.0K
Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells
08:16

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Published on: October 2, 2016

10.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 1, 2026

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot
07:12

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot

Published on: January 9, 2026

421
Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells
06:39

Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells

Published on: October 20, 2023

4.0K
Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells
08:16

Combustion Characterization and Model Fuel Development for Micro-tubular Flame-assisted Fuel Cells

Published on: October 2, 2016

10.0K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Robotics
  • Chemical Engineering

Background:

  • Downsizing mobile robots is limited by power and control challenges with conventional systems.
  • Efficient energy storage and on-demand release in small-scale robots remain difficult despite material advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a fuel carrier molecule for embodied energy in small-scale swimming robots, inspired by animal metabolism.
  • To create a novel photoresponsive molecule for controlled fuel storage and release.
  • To develop a versatile materials platform for microrobots and active matter systems.

Main Methods:

  • Integrated an ultralow surface tension unit with a photolabile o-nitrobenzyl derivative to create a photoresponsive molecule.
  • Incorporated the fuel carrier into a polymer composite for structural components with embodied energy.
  • Implemented the system in Marangoni micropump systems, particle transportation, and hybrid microrobots.

Main Results:

  • Developed a novel photoresponsive molecule for fuel storage and controlled release via UV light.
  • Demonstrated Marangoni flows for propulsion and surface-tension-driven particle transport.
  • Created untethered hybrid microrobots with photochemical on-off propulsion and magnetic control.

Conclusions:

  • The materials platform offers a versatile solution for on-demand fuel and energy storage in structural components.
  • This approach enables precise control and opens new avenues for embodied energy design in microrobots and soft devices.
  • The study advances the development of active matter systems with integrated energy and control functionalities.