Liquid Metal Inks for Flexible Electronics and 3D Printing: A Review

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Jing Liu
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Printed Electronics ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Medical Sensors ◽  
Push Forward ◽  
Fundamental Research ◽  
The Many

Flexible electronics and 3D printing are quickly reshaping the world in many aspects spanning from science, technology to industry and social society. However, there still exist many barriers to impede further progress of the areas. One of the biggest bottlenecks lies in the strong shortage of appropriate functional inks. Among the many printable materials ever tried such as conductive polymers, powdered plastic, metal particles or other adhesive materials, the liquid metal or its alloy is quickly emerging as a powerful electronic ink with diverse capabilities from which direct printing of flexible electronics and room temperature 3D printing for manufacturing metal structures are enabled. All these fabrication capabilities are attributed to the unique properties of such metal’s low melting point (generally less than 100 °C), flowable feature and high electrical conductivity etc. To better push forward the research and application of the liquid metal printed electronics and 3D manufacture, this article is dedicated to present an overview on the fundamental research advancements in processing and developing the liquid metal inks. Particularly, the flow, thermal, phase change and electrical properties of a group of typical liquid metals and their alloy inks will be systematically summarized and comparatively evaluated. Some of the practical applications of these materials in a wide variety of flexible electronics fabrication, 3D printing and medical sensors etc. will be briefly illustrated. Further, we also explained the basic categories of the liquid metal material genome towards discovering new functional alloy ink materials as initiated in the authors’ lab and interpret the important scientific and technical challenges lying behind. Perspective and future potentials of the liquid metal inks in more areas were also suggested.

Liquid metal-based nanocomposite materials: Fabrication technology and applications

Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroki Ota ◽  
Nyamjargal Ochirkhuyag ◽  
Ryosuke Matsuda ◽  
Zihao Song ◽  
Fumika Nakamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Nanocomposite Materials ◽  
Fabrication Technology

Research on liquid metals has been steadily garnering more interest in recent times because the properties of these metals are conducive to flexible electronics applications; further, these metals are in...

scholarly journals Is There a Relationship between Surface Wettability of Structured Surfaces and Lyophobicity toward Liquid Metals?

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Handschuh-Wang ◽  
Lifei Zhu ◽  
Tao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Metal Layer ◽  
Surface Wettability ◽  
Diamond Coating ◽  
Air Plasma ◽  
Structured Surfaces ◽  
Static Contact ◽  
The Impact

The liquid metal lyophobicity of a rough substrate was, in previous articles, found to be rather independent on the surface wettability. In this article, we scrutinize the impact of surface wettability of a structured (rough) surface on the liquid metal wettability and adhesion. As a model system, a structured diamond coating was synthesized and modified by air plasma. We show that surface wettability (surface free energy) does not play a prominent role for static contact angle measurements and for the liquid metal repelling properties of the diamond coating in droplet impact experiments. In contrast, roll off angles and repeated deposition experiments illustrate that the increased hydrophilicity impacts the long-term liquid metal repellency of our coating. Liquid metal adhered after around 50 deposition/removal cycles on the hydrophilic diamond coating, while no liquid metal adhesion was visible after 100 cycles on the hydrophobic diamond coating, illustrating the fundamental role for the adhesion of liquid metal. The effect of repeated deposition in conjunction with gentle applied force was employed for coating the liquid metal lyophobic (hydrophilic) diamond coating with a thin liquid metal layer. The observed effect may find application in flexible electronics and thermal management systems as a means to improve interfacing of the liquid metal with conductive non-metal coatings.

scholarly journals Low-Cost Rapid Fabrication of Conformal Liquid-Metal Patterns

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elassy ◽  
Akau ◽  
Shiroma ◽  
Seo ◽  
Ohta
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Spray Coating ◽  
Uv Curable ◽  
Rapid Fabrication ◽  
Communication Devices ◽  
Stretchable Conductors

Patterned conformal conductive structures are used to realize flexible electronics for applications such as electronic skin, communication devices, and sensors. Thus, there is a demand for low-cost rapid fabrication techniques for flexible and stretchable conductors. Spray-coating of liquid metals is a prototyping method that is compatible with elastic substrates. In this work, UV-curable and polyimide masks were used to pattern sprayed liquid metal (LM). The effect of the spraying parameters on the thickness and conductivity of the LM was characterized. A minimum LM linewidth of 48 µm was achieved, along with a minimum gap width of 34 µm. A LM patch antenna and transmission line, which can potentially be used for communication systems, were demonstrated using this fabrication process.

Intermetallic wetting enabled high resolution liquid metal patterning for 3D and flexible electronics

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Johnston ◽  
Jiong Yang ◽  
Jialuo Han ◽  
Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh ◽  
Jianbo Tang
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Soft Electronics

Liquid metals, highly conductive and flowable metals, are increasingly becoming versatile choices for soft electronics and wearable devices. High resolution liquid metal patterning strategies accommodative to different substrate materials and...

scholarly journals Spray-On Liquid-Metal Electrodes for Graphene Field-Effect Transistors

Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Melcher ◽  
Kareem Elassy ◽  
Richard Ordonez ◽  
Cody Hayashi ◽  
Aaron Ohta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Field Effect ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Channel Length ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Graphene Sample ◽  
Viable Solution

Advancements in flexible circuit interconnects are critical for widespread adoption of flexible electronics. Non-toxic liquid-metals offer a viable solution for flexible electrodes due to deformability and low bulk resistivity. However, fabrication processes utilizing liquid-metals suffer from high complexity, low throughput, and significant production cost. Our team utilized an inexpensive spray-on stencil technique to deposit liquid-metal Galinstan electrodes in top-gated graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs). The electrode stencils were patterned using an automated vinyl cutter and positioned directly onto chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene transferred to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Our spray-on method exhibited a throughput of 28 transistors in under five minutes on the same graphene sample, with a 96% yield for all devices down to a channel length of 50 μm. The fabricated transistors possess hole and electron mobilities of 663.5 cm2/(V·s) and 689.9 cm2/(V·s), respectively, and support a simple and effective method of developing high-yield flexible electronics.

scholarly journals 3D Printable Electrically Conductive Hydrogel Scaffolds for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 474
Author(s):  
Sandya Shiranthi Athukorala ◽  
Tuan Sang Tran ◽  
Rajkamal Balu ◽  
Vi Khanh Truong ◽  
James Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Hybrid Methods ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Electrically Conductive ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Hydrogel Scaffolds ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Conductive Fillers ◽  
Conductive Hydrogels

Electrically conductive hydrogels (ECHs), an emerging class of biomaterials, have garnered tremendous attention due to their potential for a wide variety of biomedical applications, from tissue-engineered scaffolds to smart bioelectronics. Along with the development of new hydrogel systems, 3D printing of such ECHs is one of the most advanced approaches towards rapid fabrication of future biomedical implants and devices with versatile designs and tuneable functionalities. In this review, an overview of the state-of-the-art 3D printed ECHs comprising conductive polymers (polythiophene, polyaniline and polypyrrole) and/or conductive fillers (graphene, MXenes and liquid metals) is provided, with an insight into mechanisms of electrical conductivity and design considerations for tuneable physiochemical properties and biocompatibility. Recent advances in the formulation of 3D printable bioinks and their practical applications are discussed; current challenges and limitations of 3D printing of ECHs are identified; new 3D printing-based hybrid methods for selective deposition and fabrication of controlled nanostructures are highlighted; and finally, future directions are proposed.

scholarly journals 3D-printed integrative probeheads for magnetic resonance

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junyao Xie ◽  
Xueqiu You ◽  
Yuqing Huang ◽  
Zurong Ni ◽  
Xinchang Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Radio Frequency ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Electrochemical Analysis ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Micrometer Scale

AbstractMagnetic resonance (MR) technology has been widely employed in scientific research, clinical diagnosis and geological survey. However, the fabrication of MR radio frequency probeheads still face difficulties in integration, customization and miniaturization. Here, we utilized 3D printing and liquid metal filling techniques to fabricate integrative radio frequency probeheads for MR experiments. The 3D-printed probehead with micrometer precision generally consists of liquid metal coils, customized sample chambers and radio frequency circuit interfaces. We screened different 3D printing materials and optimized the liquid metals by incorporating metal microparticles. The 3D-printed probeheads are capable of performing both routine and nonconventional MR experiments, including in situ electrochemical analysis, in situ reaction monitoring with continues-flow paramagnetic particles and ions separation, and small-sample MR imaging. Due to the flexibility and accuracy of 3D printing techniques, we can accurately obtain complicated coil geometries at the micrometer scale, shortening the fabrication timescale and extending the application scenarios.

Liquid metal sponges for mechanically durable, all-soft, electrical conductors

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1586-1590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suqing Liang ◽  
Yaoyao Li ◽  
Yuzhen Chen ◽  
Jinbin Yang ◽  
Taipeng Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Flexible Electronics ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Electrical Conductors ◽  
Porous Poly

Liquid metal sponges were developed by loading nontoxic liquid metals (GaInSn) into 3D-interconnected porous poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) sponges for flexible electronics.

3D printing of liquid metals as fugitive inks for fabrication of 3D microfluidic channels

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1812-1820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dishit P. Parekh ◽  
Collin Ladd ◽  
Lazar Panich ◽  
Khalil Moussa ◽  
Michael D. Dickey
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Liquid Metals ◽  
Microfluidic Channels ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Sacrificial Template

This paper demonstrates a simple method to fabricate 3D microchannels at room temperature by printing liquid metal as a sacrificial template.

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