Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Aqueous Droplets Used as Enzymatic Microreactors and Their Electromagnetic Actuation
Published on: August 28, 2017
Electromagnetic wave driven chemical reactions
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials and Technologies for Energy Conversion, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, Guangdong 515063, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Most chemical reaction processes require a certain amount of energy input, known as activation energy, for the reaction to go forward. The activation energy can be provided to the reacting molecules in the form of heat, electricity, electromagnetic (EM) waves, or a combination of these. This article discusses the theory, practice, and technical aspects of activation of chemical reactions using electromagnetic waves (EMWs) as the energy input, instead of heat or electricity. The matching condition between the EM wavelength and the thermal activation energy is discussed, as well as the practical considerations for the application of the EMW-driven chemical reactions.
Related Concept Videos
Generating Electromagnetic Radiations
Electromagnetic Waves
Introduction to Chemical Reactions
Standing Waves in a Cavity
The Wave Nature of Light
Chemical Reactions
Chemical Reactions Rearrange Atoms into New Substances
A chemical reaction takes starting materials—the reactants—and changes them into different...

