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Jiang H, Yuan B, Guo H, Pan F, Meng F, Wu Y, Wang X, Ruan L, Zheng S, Yang Y, Xiu Z, Li L, Wu C, Gong Y, Yang M, Lu W. Malleable, printable, bondable, and highly conductive MXene/liquid metal plasticine with improved wettability. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6138. [PMID: 39033166 PMCID: PMC11271265 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50541-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Integration of functional fillers into liquid metals (LM) induces rheology modification, enabling the free-form shaping of LM at the micrometer scale. However, integrating non-chemically modified low-dimensional materials with LM to form stable and uniform dispersions remain a great challenge. Herein, we propose a solvent-assisted dispersion (SAD) method that utilizes the fragmentation and reintegration of LM in volatile solvents to engulf and disperse fillers. This method successfully integrates MXene uniformly into LM, achieving better internal connectivity than the conventional dry powder mixing (DPM) method. Consequently, the MXene/LM (MLM) coating exhibits high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance (105 dB at 20 μm, which is 1.6 times that of coatings prepared by DPM). Moreover, the rheological characteristic of MLM render it malleable and facilitates direct printing and adaptation to diverse structures. This study offers a convenient method for assembling LM with low-dimensional materials, paving the way for the development of multifunctional soft devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Jiang
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Hongtao Guo
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Fei Pan
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Fanmao Meng
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Yongpeng Wu
- School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Lingyang Ruan
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Shuhuai Zheng
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Zheng Xiu
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Lixin Li
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Changsheng Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Yongqing Gong
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Menghao Yang
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Shanghai Key Lab. of D&A for Metal Functional Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201804, China.
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Nor-Azman NA, Ghasemian MB, Fuchs R, Liu L, Widjajana MS, Yu R, Chiu SH, Idrus-Saidi SA, Flores N, Chi Y, Tang J, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Mechanism behind the Controlled Generation of Liquid Metal Nanoparticles by Mechanical Agitation. ACS NANO 2024; 18:11139-11152. [PMID: 38620061 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The size-controlled synthesis of liquid metal nanoparticles is necessary in a variety of applications. Sonication is a common method for breaking down bulk liquid metals into small particles, yet the influence of critical factors such as liquid metal composition has remained elusive. Our study employs high-speed imaging to unravel the mechanism of liquid metal particle formation during mechanical agitation. Gallium-based liquid metals, with and without secondary metals of bismuth, indium, and tin, are analyzed to observe the effect of cavitation and surface eruption during sonication and particle release. The impact of the secondary metal inclusion is investigated on liquid metals' surface tension, solution turbidity, and size distribution of the generated particles. Our work evidences that there is an inverse relationship between the surface tension and the ability of liquid metals to be broken down by sonication. We show that even for 0.22 at. % of bismuth in gallium, the surface tension is significantly decreased from 558 to 417 mN/m (measured in Milli-Q water), resulting in an enhanced particle generation rate: 3.6 times increase in turbidity and ∼43% reduction in the size of particles for bismuth in gallium liquid alloy compared to liquid gallium for the same sonication duration. The effect of particles' size on the photocatalysis of the annealed particles is also presented to show the applicability of the process in a proof-of-concept demonstration. This work contributes to a broader understanding of the synthesis of nanoparticles, with controlled size and characteristics, via mechanical agitation of liquid metals for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur-Adania Nor-Azman
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard Fuchs
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Li Liu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Moonika S Widjajana
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Ruohan Yu
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shih-Hao Chiu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Shuhada A Idrus-Saidi
- Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia
- Centre of Lipids Engineering and Applied Research (CLEAR), Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia
| | - Nieves Flores
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Yuan Chi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
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3
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Zhu J, Li J, Tong Y, Hu T, Chen Z, Xiao Y, Zhang S, Yang H, Gao M, Pan T, Cheng H, Lin Y. Recent progress in multifunctional, reconfigurable, integrated liquid metal-based stretchable sensors and standalone systems. PROGRESS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE 2024; 142:101228. [PMID: 38745676 PMCID: PMC11090487 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2023.101228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Possessing a unique combination of properties that are traditionally contradictory in other natural or synthetical materials, Ga-based liquid metals (LMs) exhibit low mechanical stiffness and flowability like a liquid, with good electrical and thermal conductivity like metal, as well as good biocompatibility and room-temperature phase transformation. These remarkable properties have paved the way for the development of novel reconfigurable or stretchable electronics and devices. Despite these outstanding properties, the easy oxidation, high surface tension, and low rheological viscosity of LMs have presented formidable challenges in high-resolution patterning. To address this challenge, various surface modifications or additives have been employed to tailor the oxidation state, viscosity, and patterning capability of LMs. One effective approach for LM patterning is breaking down LMs into microparticles known as liquid metal particles (LMPs). This facilitates LM patterning using conventional techniques such as stencil, screening, or inkjet printing. Judiciously formulated photo-curable LMP inks or the introduction of an adhesive seed layer combined with a modified lift-off process further provide the micrometer-level LM patterns. Incorporating porous and adhesive substrates in LM-based electronics allows direct interfacing with the skin for robust and long-term monitoring of physiological signals. Combined with self-healing polymers in the form of substrates or composites, LM-based electronics can provide mechanical-robust devices to heal after damage for working in harsh environments. This review provides the latest advances in LM-based composites, fabrication methods, and their novel and unique applications in stretchable or reconfigurable sensors and resulting integrated systems. It is believed that the advancements in LM-based material preparation and high-resolution techniques have opened up opportunities for customized designs of LM-based stretchable sensors, as well as multifunctional, reconfigurable, highly integrated, and even standalone systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhu
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Jiaying Li
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Yao Tong
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Taiqi Hu
- School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, P. R. China
| | - Ziqi Chen
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Yang Xiao
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Senhao Zhang
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Hongbo Yang
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Min Gao
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Taisong Pan
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
| | - Huanyu Cheng
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Yuan Lin
- School of Material and Energy, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
- Medico-Engineering Cooperation on Applied Medicine Research Center, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
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4
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Zhou X, Liu Y, Gao Z, Min P, Liu J, Yu ZZ, Nicolosi V, Zhang HB. Biphasic GaIn Alloy Constructed Stable Percolation Network in Polymer Composites over Ultrabroad Temperature Region. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310849. [PMID: 38185468 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Flexible and adaptable polymer composites with high-performance reliability over wide temperature range are imperative for various applications. However, the distinct filler-matrix thermomechanical behaviors often cause severe structure damage and performance degradation upon large thermal shock. To address this issue, a general strategy is proposed to construct leakage-free, self-adaptive, stable percolation networks in polymer composites over wide temperature (77-473 K) with biphasic Ga35In65 alloy. The in situ micro-CT technology, for the first time, reveals the conformable phase transitions of Ga35In65 alloys in the polymer matrix that help repair the disruptive conductive networks over large temperature variations. The cryo-expanded Ga compensates the disruptive carbon networks at low temperatures, and flowable Ga and melted In at high temperatures conformably fill and repair the deboned interfaces and yielded crevices. As a proof-of-concept, this temperature-resistant composite demonstrates superb electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding properties and stability even after a large temperature shock (ΔT = 396 K). Furthermore, the superiority of the construction of temperature self-adaptive networks within the composite enables them for additive manufacturing of application-oriented components. This work offers helpful inspiration for developing high-performance polymer composites for extreme-temperature applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinfeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zijie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Peng Min
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Ji Liu
- School of Chemistry, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Advanced Materials Bio-Engineering Research Centre (AMBER), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Zhong-Zhen Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Valeria Nicolosi
- School of Chemistry, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Advanced Materials Bio-Engineering Research Centre (AMBER), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Hao-Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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5
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Shukla D, Wang H, Awartani O, Dickey MD, Zhu Y. Surface Embedded Metal Nanowire-Liquid Metal-Elastomer Hybrid Composites for Stretchable Electronics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:14183-14197. [PMID: 38457372 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c00318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Both liquid metal (LM) and metallic filler-based conductive composites are promising stretchable conductors. LM alloys exhibit intrinsically high deformability but present challenges for patterning on polymeric substrates due to high surface tension. On the other hand, conductive composites comprising metallic fillers undergo considerable decrease in electrical conductivity under mechanical deformation. To address the challenges, we present silver nanowire (AgNW)-LM-elastomer hybrid composite films, where AgNWs and LM are embedded below the surface of an elastomeric matrix, using two fabrication approaches, sequential and mixed. We investigate and understand the process-structure-property relationship of the AgNW-LM-elastomer hybrid composites fabricated using two approaches. Different weight ratios of AgNWs and LM particles provide tunable electrical conductivity. The hybrid composites show more stable electromechanical performance than the composites with AgNWs alone. In particular, 1:2.4 (AgNW:LMP w/w) sequential hybrid composite shows electromechanical stability similar to that of the LM-elastomer composite, with a resistance increase of 2.04% at 90% strain. The sequential approach is found to form AgIn2 intermetallic compounds which along with Ga-In bonds, imparts large deformability to the sequential hybrid composite as well as mechanical robustness against scratching, cutting, peeling, and wiping. To demonstrate the application of the hybrid composite for stretchable electronics, a laser patterned stretchable heater on textile and a stretchable circuit including a light-emitting diode are fabricated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darpan Shukla
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Hongyu Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Omar Awartani
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Yong Zhu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
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6
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Zhou J, Zhao S, Tang L, Zhang D, Sheng B. Programmable and Weldable Superelastic EGaIn/TPU Composite Fiber by Wet Spinning for Flexible Electronics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 38031357 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c11068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
As an essential component of flexible electronics, superelastic conductive fibers with good mechanical and electrical properties have drawn significant attention, especially in their preparation. In this study, we prepared a superelastic conductive fiber composed of eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by simple wet spinning. The composite conductive fiber with a liquid metal (LM) content of 85 wt % achieved a maximum strain at a break of 659.2%, and after the conductive pathway in the porous structure of the composite fibers was fully activated, high conductivity (1.2 × 105 S/m) was achieved with 95 wt % LM by mechanical sintering and training processes. The prepared conductive fibers exhibited a stable resistive response as the fibers were strained and could be sewn into fabrics and used as wearable strain sensors to monitor various human motions. These conductive fibers can be molded into helical by heating, and they have excellent electrical properties at a maximum mechanical strain of 3400% (resistance change <0.27%) with a helical index of 11. Moreover, the conductive fibers can be welded to various two or three-dimensional conductors. In summary, with a scalable manufacturing process, weldability, superelasticity, and high electrical conductivity, EGaIn/TPU composite fibers fabricated by wet spinning have considerable potential for flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Zhou
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Systems, Engineering Research Center of Optical Instruments and Systems, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Shanshan Zhao
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Systems, Engineering Research Center of Optical Instruments and Systems, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Lei Tang
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Systems, Engineering Research Center of Optical Instruments and Systems, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Systems, Engineering Research Center of Optical Instruments and Systems, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Bin Sheng
- School of Optical-Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Systems, Engineering Research Center of Optical Instruments and Systems, Shanghai 200093, China
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Reis Carneiro M, de Almeida AT, Tavakoli M, Majidi C. Recyclable Thin-Film Soft Electronics for Smart Packaging and E-Skins. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301673. [PMID: 37436091 PMCID: PMC10502858 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in soft, sticker-like electronics, few efforts have dealt with the challenge of electronic waste. Here, this is addressed by introducing an eco-friendly conductive ink for thin-film circuitry composed of silver flakes and a water-based polyurethane dispersion. This ink uniquely combines high electrical conductivity (1.6 × 105 S m-1 ), high resolution digital printability, robust adhesion for microchip integration, mechanical resilience, and recyclability. Recycling is achieved with an ecologically-friendly processing method to decompose the circuits into constituent elements and recover the conductive ink with a decrease of only 2.4% in conductivity. Moreover, adding liquid metal enables stretchability of up to 200% strain, although this introduces the need for more complex recycling steps. Finally, on-skin electrophysiological monitoring biostickers along with a recyclable smart package with integrated sensors for monitoring safe storage of perishable foods are demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Reis Carneiro
- Soft Machines LabDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringCarnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburghPA15213USA
- Institute of Systems and RoboticsDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3030‐290Portugal
| | - Aníbal T. de Almeida
- Institute of Systems and RoboticsDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3030‐290Portugal
| | - Mahmoud Tavakoli
- Institute of Systems and RoboticsDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of CoimbraCoimbra3030‐290Portugal
| | - Carmel Majidi
- Soft Machines LabDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringCarnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburghPA15213USA
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8
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Li Y, Fang T, Zhang J, Zhu H, Sun Y, Wang S, Lu Y, Kong D. Ultrasensitive and ultrastretchable electrically self-healing conductors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300953120. [PMID: 37253015 PMCID: PMC10266060 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300953120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-healing is a bioinspired strategy to repair damaged conductors under repetitive wear and tear, thereby largely extending the life span of electronic devices. The self-healing process often demands external triggering conditions as the practical challenges for the widespread applications. Here, a compliant conductor with electrically self-healing capability is introduced by combining ultrahigh sensitivity to minor damages and reliable recovery from ultrahigh tensile deformations. Conductive features are created in a scalable and low-cost fabrication process comprising a copper layer on top of liquid metal microcapsules. The efficient rupture of microcapsules is triggered by structural damages in the copper layer under stress conditions as a result of the strong interfacial interactions. The liquid metal is selectively filled into the damaged site for the instantaneous restoration of the metallic conductivity. The unique healing mechanism is responsive to various structural degradations including microcracks under bending conditions and severe fractures upon large stretching. The compliant conductor demonstrates high conductivity of ∼12,000 S/cm, ultrahigh stretchability of up to 1,200% strain, an ultralow threshold to activate the healing actions, instantaneous electrical recovery in microseconds, and exceptional electromechanical durability. Successful implementations in a light emitting diode (LED) matrix display and a multifunctional electronic patch demonstrate the practical suitability of the electrically self-healing conductor in flexible and stretchable electronics. The developments provide a promising approach to improving the self-healing capability of compliant conductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Li
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Ting Fang
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Jiaxue Zhang
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Hangyu Zhu
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Yuping Sun
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Shaolei Wang
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Yanqing Lu
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optical Sensing and Manipulation, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
| | - Desheng Kong
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
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9
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Cai S, Ghasemian MB, Rahim MA, Baharfar M, Yang J, Tang J, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Allioux FM. Formation of inorganic liquid gallium particle-manganese oxide composites. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:4291-4300. [PMID: 36745406 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr06384k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Gallium (Ga) is a low melting point post-transition metal that, under mild mechanical agitation, can form micron and submicron-sized particles with combined fluid-like and metallic properties. In this work, an inorganic network of Ga liquid metal particles was synthesised via spontaneous formation of manganese (Mn) oxide species on their liquid metallic surfaces forming an all-inorganic composite. The micron-sized Ga particles formed by sonication were connected together by Mn oxide nanostructures spontaneously established from the reduction of a Mn salt in aqueous solution slightly above the melting point of Ga. The formed Mn oxide nanostructures were found to coalesce from the surface of the Ga particles into a continuous inorganic network. The morphology of the composites could be altered by varying the Mn salt concentration and by performing post-treatment annealing. The composites presented a shell of various Mn oxide nanostructures including wrinkled sheets, rods and nanoneedles, around spherical liquid Ga particles, and a liquid metal core. The photoelectric and optical properties of the composites were thoroughly characterised, which revealed decreasing bandgaps and valence band edge characteristics as a function of increased Mn oxide coverage. The photoluminescence properties of the composites could be also engineered by increasing the Mn oxide coverage. The all-inorganic liquid Ga composite could be formed via a straightforward reduction reaction of a Mn-rich salt at the surface of liquid Ga particles with tunable surface properties for future optoelectronic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengxiang Cai
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
| | - Mahroo Baharfar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
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10
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He X, Xuan T, Wu J, Pang H, Deng H, Xuan S, Gong X. Flexible and Stretchable Elastomer Composites Based on Lightweight Liquid Metal Foam Spheres with Pod-like Contacts. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:5856-5869. [PMID: 36669161 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c19621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metal (LM) is increasingly employed as a conductive filler in soft and flexible elastomer composites owing to its favorable conductivity and liquid fluidity. However, the high density of LM inevitably increases the weight of composites, which brings limitations in large-area and weight-sensitive applications. This work reports a flexible and stretchable elastomer composite composed of pod-like contacting lightweight LM foam spheres and polydimethylsiloxane matrix (LMS/PDMS). The lightweight LMS reduces the amount of LM used in the preparation process while imparting good electrical conductivity and deformability to the composite. The different contact modes of LMS endow the final composites with diverse strain sensitivity. The mechanism of interfacial contact conduction between the LMS with different melting points has been systematically studied, and the result shows that the liquid-solid contact mode of LMS further improves the strain sensitivity of the composite. Moreover, the composite also has satisfactory electrothermal properties and the temperature can quickly reach 70 °C within 30 s, showing good applicability in electric heating. Finally, the composites containing LMS with different contact modes can be developed as multifunctional sensors to detect human activities, temperature variation, and even underwater vibration, demonstrating the great potential in next-generation sensors and electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokang He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Tingting Xuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Jianpeng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Haoming Pang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Huaxia Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Shouhu Xuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
| | - Xinglong Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei230027, China
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11
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Xing W, Xu Y, Song C, Deng T. Recent Advances in Thermal Interface Materials for Thermal Management of High-Power Electronics. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:nano12193365. [PMID: 36234498 PMCID: PMC9565324 DOI: 10.3390/nano12193365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
With the increased level of integration and miniaturization of modern electronics, high-power density electronics require efficient heat dissipation per unit area. To improve the heat dissipation capability of high-power electronic systems, advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs) with high thermal conductivity and low interfacial thermal resistance are urgently needed in the structural design of advanced electronics. Metal-, carbon- and polymer-based TIMs can reach high thermal conductivity and are promising for heat dissipation in high-power electronics. This review article introduces the heat dissipation models, classification, performances and fabrication methods of advanced TIMs, and provides a summary of the recent research status and developing trends of micro- and nanoscale TIMs used for heat dissipation in high-power electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenkui Xing
- The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hydrogen Science & Center of Hydrogen Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yue Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hydrogen Science & Center of Hydrogen Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chengyi Song
- The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hydrogen Science & Center of Hydrogen Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Correspondence: (C.S.); (T.D.)
| | - Tao Deng
- The State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hydrogen Science & Center of Hydrogen Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Correspondence: (C.S.); (T.D.)
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12
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Deng HT, Wen DL, Feng T, Wang YL, Zhang XR, Huang P, Zhang XS. Silicone Rubber Based-Conductive Composites for Stretchable "All-in-One" Microsystems. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:39681-39700. [PMID: 36006298 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c08333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Wearable electronics with development trends such as miniaturization, multifunction, and smart integration have become an important part of the Internet of Things (IoT) and have penetrated various sectors of modern society. To meet the increasing demands of wearable electronics in terms of deformability and conformability, many efforts have been devoted to overcoming the nonstretchable and poor conformal properties of traditional functional materials and endowing devices with outstanding mechanical properties. One of the promising approaches is composite engineering in which traditional functional materials are incorporated into the various polymer matrices to develop different kinds of functional composites and construct different functions of stretchable electronics. Herein, we focus on the approach of composite engineering and the polymer matrix of silicone rubber (SR), and we summarize the state-of-the-art details of silicone rubber-based conductive composites (SRCCs), including a summary of their conductivity mechanisms and synthesis methods and SRCC applications for stretchable electronics. For conductivity mechanisms, two conductivity mechanisms of SRCC are emphasized: percolation theory and the quantum tunneling mechanism. For synthesis methods of SRCCs, four typical approaches to synthesize different kinds of SRCCs are investigated: mixing/blending, infiltration, ion implantation, and in situ formation. For SRCC applications, different functions of stretchable electronics based on SRCCs for interconnecting, sensing, powering, actuating, and transmitting are summarized, including stretchable interconnects, sensors, nanogenerators, antennas, and transistors. These functions reveal the feasibility of constructing a stretchable all-in-one self-powered microsystem based on SRCC-based stretchable electronics. As a prospect, this microsystem is expected to integrate the functional sensing modulus, the energy harvesting modulus, and the process and response modulus together to sense and respond to environmental stimulations and human physiological signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Tao Deng
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Dan-Liang Wen
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Tao Feng
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Yi-Lin Wang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Xin-Ran Zhang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Peng Huang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
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13
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Yu J, Xia J, Guan X, Xiong G, Zhou H, Yin S, Chen L, Yang Y, Zhang S, Xing Y, Yang P. Self-healing liquid metal confined in carbon nanofibers/carbon nanotubes paper as a free-standing anode for flexible lithium-ion batteries. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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14
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Akyildiz K, Kim JH, So JH, Koo HJ. Recent progress on micro- and nanoparticles of gallium-based liquid metal: From preparation to applications. J IND ENG CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2022.09.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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15
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Karimzadeh Z, Mahmoudpour M, Rahimpour E, Jouyban A. Nanomaterial based PVA nanocomposite hydrogels for biomedical sensing: Advances toward designing the ideal flexible/wearable nanoprobes. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 305:102705. [PMID: 35640315 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In today's world, the progress of wearable tools has gained increasing momentum. Notably, the demand for stretchable strain sensors has considerably increased owing to various potential and emerging applications like human motion monitoring, soft robotics, prosthetics, and electronic skin. Hydrogels possess excellent biocompatibility, flexibility, and stretchability that render them ideal candidates for flexible/wearable substrates. Among them, enormous efforts were focused on the progress of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels to realize multifunctional wearable sensing through using additives/nanofillers/functional groups to modify the hydrogel network. Herein, this review offers an up-to-date and comprehensive summary of the research progress of PVA hydrogel-based wearable sensors in view of their properties, strain sensory efficiency, and potential applications, followed by specifically highlighting their probes using metallic/non-metallic, liquid metal (LM), 2D materials, bio-nanomaterials, and polymer nanofillers. Indeed, flexible electrodes and strain/pressure sensing performance of designed PVA hydrogels for their effective sensing are described. The representative cases are carefully selected and discussed regarding the construction, merits and demerits, respectively. Finally, the necessity and requirements for future advances of conductive and stretchable hydrogels engaged in the wearable strain sensors are also presented, followed by opportunities and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Karimzadeh
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mansour Mahmoudpour
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Elaheh Rahimpour
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Abolghasem Jouyban
- Pharmaceutical Analysis Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, PO BOX: 99138 Nicosia, North Cyprus, Mersin 10, Turkey
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16
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Lim T, Kim M, Akbarian A, Kim J, Tresco PA, Zhang H. Conductive Polymer Enabled Biostable Liquid Metal Electrodes for Bioelectronic Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102382. [PMID: 35112800 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gallium (Ga)-based liquid metal materials have emerged as a promising material platform for soft bioelectronics. Unfortunately, Ga has limited biostability and electrochemical performance under physiological conditions, which can hinder the implementation of its use in bioelectronic devices. Here, an effective conductive polymer deposition strategy on the liquid metal surface to improve the biostability and electrochemical performance of Ga-based liquid metals for use under physiological conditions is demonstrated. The conductive polymer [poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):tetrafluoroborate]-modified liquid metal surface significantly outperforms the liquid metal.based electrode in mechanical, biological, and electrochemical studies. In vivo action potential recordings in behaving nonhuman primate and invertebrate models demonstrate the feasibility of using liquid metal electrodes for high-performance neural recording applications. This is the first demonstration of single-unit neural recording using Ga-based liquid metal bioelectronic devices to date. The results determine that the electrochemical deposition of conductive polymer over liquid metal can improve the material properties of liquid metal electrodes for use under physiological conditions and open numerous design opportunities for next-generation liquid metal-based bioelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehwan Lim
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Minju Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Amir Akbarian
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Jungkyu Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Patrick A. Tresco
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - Huanan Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
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17
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Abstract
Low melting point metals and alloys are the group of materials that combine metallic and liquid properties, simultaneously. The fascinating characteristics of liquid metals (LMs) including softness and high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as their unique interfacial chemistry, have started to dominate various research disciplines. Utilization of LMs as responsive interfaces, enabling sensing in a flexible and versatile manner, is one of the most promising traits demonstrated for LMs. In the context of LMs-enabled sensors, gallium (Ga) and its alloys have emerged as multipurpose functional materials with many compelling physical and chemical properties. Responsiveness to different stimuli and easy-to-functionalize interfaces of Ga-based LMs make them ideal candidates for a variety of sensing applications. However, despite the vast capabilities of Ga-based LMs in sensing, applications of these materials for developing different sensors have not been fully explored. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview regarding the applications of Ga-based LMs in a wide range of sensing approaches that cover different physical and chemical sensors. The unique features of Ga-based LMs, which make them promising materials for sensing, are discussed in subsections followed by relevant case studies. Finally, challenges as well as the prospected future and developing motifs are highlighted for each type of LM-based sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahroo Baharfar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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18
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Allioux FM, Ghasemian MB, Xie W, O'Mullane AP, Daeneke T, Dickey MD, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Applications of liquid metals in nanotechnology. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2022; 7:141-167. [PMID: 34982812 DOI: 10.1039/d1nh00594d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Post-transition liquid metals (LMs) offer new opportunities for accessing exciting dynamics for nanomaterials. As entities with free electrons and ions as well as fluidity, LM-based nanomaterials are fundamentally different from their solid counterparts. The low melting points of most post-transition metals (less than 330 °C) allow for the formation of nanodroplets from bulk metal melts under mild mechanical and chemical conditions. At the nanoscale, these liquid state nanodroplets simultaneously offer high electrical and thermal conductivities, tunable reactivities and useful physicochemical properties. They also offer specific alloying and dealloying conditions for the formation of multi-elemental liquid based nanoalloys or the synthesis of engineered solid nanomaterials. To date, while only a few nanosized LM materials have been investigated, extraordinary properties have been observed for such systems. Multi-elemental nanoalloys have shown controllable homogeneous or heterogeneous core and surface compositions with interfacial ordering at the nanoscale. The interactions and synergies of nanosized LMs with polymeric, inorganic and bio-materials have also resulted in new compounds. This review highlights recent progress and future directions for the synthesis and applications of post-transition LMs and their alloys. The review presents the unique properties of these LM nanodroplets for developing functional materials for electronics, sensors, catalysts, energy systems, and nanomedicine and biomedical applications, as well as other functional systems engineered at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Mohammad B Ghasemian
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Wanjie Xie
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Anthony P O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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19
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Baharfar M, Mayyas M, Rahbar M, Allioux FM, Tang J, Wang Y, Cao Z, Centurion F, Jalili R, Liu G, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Exploring Interfacial Graphene Oxide Reduction by Liquid Metals: Application in Selective Biosensing. ACS NANO 2021; 15:19661-19671. [PMID: 34783540 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c06973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metals (LMs) are electronic liquid with enigmatic interfacial chemistry and physics. These features make them promising materials for driving chemical reactions on their surfaces for designing nanoarchitectonic systems. Herein, we showed the interfacial interaction between eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) liquid metal and graphene oxide (GO) for the reduction of both substrate-based and free-standing GO. NanoIR surface mapping indicated the successful removal of carbonyl groups. Based on the gained knowledge, a composite consisting of assembled reduced GO sheets on LM microdroplets (LM-rGO) was developed. The LM enforced Ga3+ coordination within the rGO assembly found to modify the electrochemical interface for selective dopamine sensing by separating the peaks of interfering biologicals. Subsequently, paper-based electrodes were developed and modified with the LM-rGO that presented the compatibility of the assembly with low-cost commercial technologies. The observed interfacial interaction, imparted by LM's interfaces, and electrochemical performance observed for LM-rGO will lead to effective functional materials and electrode modifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahroo Baharfar
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mohammad Rahbar
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Yifang Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Zhenbang Cao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Franco Centurion
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Rouhollah Jalili
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Guozhen Liu
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, P. R. China
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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20
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Houshyar S, Rifai A, Zizhou R, Dekiwadia C, Booth MA, John S, Fox K, Truong VK. Liquid metal polymer composite: Flexible, conductive, biocompatible, and antimicrobial scaffold. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2021; 110:1131-1139. [PMID: 34910353 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Gallium and its alloys, such as eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn), a form of liquid metal, have recently attracted the attention of researchers due to their low toxicity and electrical and thermal conductivity for biomedical application. However, further research is required to harness EGaIn-composites advantages and address their application as a biomedical scaffold. In this research, EGaIn-polylactic acid/polycaprolactone composites with and without a second conductive filler, MXene, were prepared and characterized. The addition of MXene, into the EGaIn-composite, can improve the composite's electrochemical properties by connecting the liquid metal droplets resulting in electrically conductive continuous pathways within the polymeric matrix. The results showed that the composite with 50% EGaIn and 4% MXene, displayed optimal electrochemical properties and enhanced mechanical and radiopacity properties. Furthermore, the composite showed good biocompatibility, examined through interactions with fibroblast cells, and antibacterial properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, the liquid metal (EGaIn) polymer composite with MXene provides a first proof-of-concept engineering scaffold strategy with low toxicity, functional electrochemical properties, and promising antimicrobial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi Houshyar
- STEM College, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaqil Rifai
- STEM College, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rumbidzai Zizhou
- School of Fashion and Textile, Centre for Materials Innovation and Future Fashion, RMIT University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chaitali Dekiwadia
- RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marsilea A Booth
- STEM College, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sabu John
- STEM College, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate Fox
- STEM College, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vi Khanh Truong
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Moon S, Kim H, Lee K, Park J, Kim Y, Choi SQ. 3D Printable concentrated liquid metal composite with high thermal conductivity. iScience 2021; 24:103183. [PMID: 34703989 PMCID: PMC8524151 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat dissipation materials in which fillers are dispersed in a polymer matrix typically do not exhibit both high thermal conductivity (k) and processability due to a trade-off. In this paper, we fabricate heat dissipation composites which overcome the trade-off using liquid metal (LM). By exceeding the conventional filler limit, ten times higher k is achieved for a 90 vol% LM composite compared with k of 50 vol% LM composite. Further, an even higher k is achieved by introducing h-BN between the LM droplets, and the highest k in this study was 17.1 W m-1 K-1. The LM composite is processable at room temperature and used as inks for 3D printing. This combination of high k and processability not only allows heat dissipation materials to be processed on demand under ambient conditions but it also increases the surface area of the LM composite, which enables rapid heat dissipation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumin Moon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and KINC, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hanul Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and KINC, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Kyoungmun Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and KINC, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jinwon Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and KINC, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Yunho Kim
- Advanced Functional Polymers Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Korea
| | - Siyoung Q Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and KINC, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Korea
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22
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Peng S, Yu Y, Wu S, Wang CH. Conductive Polymer Nanocomposites for Stretchable Electronics: Material Selection, Design, and Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:43831-43854. [PMID: 34515471 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c15014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Stretchable electronics that can elongate elastically as well as flex are crucial to a wide range of emerging technologies, such as wearable medical devices, electronic skin, and soft robotics. Critical to stretchable electronics is their ability to withstand large mechanical strain without failure while retaining their electrical conduction properties, a feat significantly beyond traditional metals and silicon-based semiconductors. Herein, we present a review of the recent advances in stretchable conductive polymer nanocomposites with exceptional stretchability and electrical properties, which have the potential to transform a wide range of applications, including wearable sensors for biophysical signals, stretchable conductors and electrodes, and deformable energy-harvesting and -storage devices. Critical to achieving these stretching properties are the judicious selection and hybridization of nanomaterials, novel microstructure designs, and facile fabrication processes, which are the focus of this Review. To highlight the potentials of conductive nanocomposites, a summary of some recent important applications is presented, including COVID-19 remote monitoring, connected health, electronic skin for augmented intelligence, and soft robotics. Finally, perspectives on future challenges and new research opportunities are also presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhua Peng
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Yuyan Yu
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Shuying Wu
- School of Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Chun-Hui Wang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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23
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Uppal A, Kong W, Rana A, Wang RY, Rykaczewski K. Enhancing Thermal Transport in Silicone Composites via Bridging Liquid Metal Fillers with Reactive Metal Co-Fillers and Matrix Viscosity Tuning. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:43348-43355. [PMID: 34491735 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c11275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Polymer matrix composites containing room temperature liquid metal (LM) microdroplets offer a unique set of thermo-mechanical characteristics that makes them attractive candidates for high performance thermal interface materials. However, to achieve the desired level of the composite thermal conductivity, effective bridging of such fillers into interconnected percolation networks needs to be induced. Thermal percolation of the LM microdroplets requires two physical barriers to be overcome. First, the LM microdroplets must directly contact each other through the polymer matrix. Second, the native oxide shell on the LM microdroplet must also be ruptured. In this work, we demonstrate that both physical barriers can be penetrated to induce ample bridging of the LM microdroplets and thereby achieve higher thermal conductivity composites. We accomplish this through a synergistic combination of solid silver and LM fillers, tuning of the silicone oil "matrix" viscosity, and sample compression. We selected silver as the solid additive because it rapidly alloys with gallium to form microscale needles that could act as additional paths that aid in connecting the LM droplets. We systematically explore the impact of the composition (filler type, volume fraction, and matrix oil viscosity) and applied pressure on the thermal conductivity and multiscale structure of these composites. We reveal the microscopic mechanism underlying the macroscopic experimental trends and also identify an optimal composition of the multiphase Ag-LM-Silicone oil composite for thermal applications. The identified design knobs offer path for developing tunable LM-based polymer composites for microelectronics cooling, biomedical applications, and flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aastha Uppal
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- Intel Corporation, 5000 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, Arizona 85226, United States
| | - Wilson Kong
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Ashish Rana
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Robert Y Wang
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Konrad Rykaczewski
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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Probing the Ag – liquid gallium system and its interaction with redox active solutions for catalysis and AgTCNQ formation. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.126750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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25
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Yun G, Tang SY, Lu H, Zhang S, Dickey MD, Li W. Hybrid‐Filler Stretchable Conductive Composites: From Fabrication to Application. SMALL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/smsc.202000080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Guolin Yun
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Hongda Lu
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes Department of Precision Machinery and Instrumentation University of Science and Technology of China Hefei Anhui 230027 China
| | - Michael D. Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University Raleigh NC 27695 USA
| | - Weihua Li
- School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia
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26
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Han F, Li M, Ye H, Zhang G. Materials, Electrical Performance, Mechanisms, Applications, and Manufacturing Approaches for Flexible Strain Sensors. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:1220. [PMID: 34063165 PMCID: PMC8148098 DOI: 10.3390/nano11051220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
With the recent great progress made in flexible and wearable electronic materials, the upcoming next generation of skin-mountable and implantable smart devices holds extensive potential applications for the lifestyle modifying, including personalized health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, soft robots, and implantable biomedical devices. As a core member within the wearable electronics family, flexible strain sensors play an essential role in the structure design and functional optimization. To further enhance the stretchability, flexibility, sensitivity, and electricity performances of the flexible strain sensors, enormous efforts have been done covering the materials design, manufacturing approaches and various applications. Thus, this review summarizes the latest advances in flexible strain sensors over recent years from the material, application, and manufacturing strategies. Firstly, the critical parameters measuring the performances of flexible strain sensors and materials development contains different flexible substrates, new nano- and hybrid- materials are introduced. Then, the developed working mechanisms, theoretical analysis, and computational simulation are presented. Next, based on different material design, diverse applications including human motion detection and health monitoring, soft robotics and human-machine interface, implantable devices, and biomedical applications are highlighted. Finally, synthesis consideration of the massive production industry of flexible strain sensors in the future; different fabrication approaches that are fully expected are classified and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Han
- Institute of Future Lighting, Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; (F.H.); (M.L.)
- Shenzhen Institute of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Min Li
- Institute of Future Lighting, Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; (F.H.); (M.L.)
| | - Huaiyu Ye
- Shenzhen Institute of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guoqi Zhang
- Institute of Future Lighting, Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China; (F.H.); (M.L.)
- Shenzhen Institute of Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Xin Y, Lan J, Xu J, Wu D, Zhang J. Vapor-Mediated Stretchable and Reversible Conductors from Microporous Liquid Metal Polymers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:19351-19359. [PMID: 33853322 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c03375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Flexible electronic devices have penetrated into a variety of industry sectors (i.e., consumer electronics, automotive, and medical) in human life, and this calls for better properties of stretchable conductive composites as the crucial elements. Traditionally, conductive inorganic fillers are incorporated in flexible polymers to prepare conductive composites, which falls short of the required properties in more demanding devices nowadays due to limited deformation, low conductivity, and poor processability. Herein, liquid metals were successfully incorporated in microporous polymer matrixes using a simple codissolving and film casting/solvent evaporation approach. The microporous liquid metal-embedded polymer (LMEP) was insulative as fabricated due to discontinuous liquid metals (LMs), while it became conductive upon stretching. Interestingly, the LMEP films showed a reversible insulator-conductor transition due to the regenerated pores in polymer matrix under organic vapor. Negligible changes in the resistance value were seen even after 50 solvent exposure-tensile strain cycles, demonstrating the excellent stability of the electrical properties of these films. Furthermore, most of the commercially available soluble polymers including rigid plastics and soft elastomers are suitable for the fabrication of LMEP. With the ideal characteristics, they have been successfully exploited in model alarm systems to prevent temperature overloads and solvent leakage, showcasing the great potential in next generation sensors used in industry settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Xin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingyun Lan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Dongfang Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiuyang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Jiangsu Hi-Tech Key Laboratory for Biomedical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People's Republic of China
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Lopes PA, Fernandes DF, Silva AF, Marques DG, de Almeida AT, Majidi C, Tavakoli M. Bi-Phasic Ag-In-Ga-Embedded Elastomer Inks for Digitally Printed, Ultra-Stretchable, Multi-layer Electronics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:14552-14561. [PMID: 33689286 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c22206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A bi-phasic ternary Ag-In-Ga ink that demonstrates high electrical conductivity, extreme stretchability, and low electromechanical gauge factor (GF) is introduced. Unlike popular liquid metal alloys such as eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn), this ink is easily printable and nonsmearing and bonds strongly to a variety of substrates. Using this ink and a simple extrusion printer, the ability to perform direct writing of ultrathin, multi-layer circuits that are highly stretchable (max. strain >600%), have excellent conductivity (7.02 × 105 S m-1), and exhibit only a modest GF (0.9) related to the ratio of percent increase in trace resistance with mechanical strain is demonstrated. The ink is synthesized by mixing optimized quantities of EGaIn, Ag microflakes, and styrene-isoprene block copolymers, which functions as a hyperelastic binder. When compared to the same composite without EGaIn, the Ag-In-Ga ink shows over 1 order of magnitude larger conductivity, up to ∼27× lower GF, and ∼5× greater maximum stretchability. No significant change over the resistance of the ink was observed after 1000 strain cycles. Microscopic analysis shows that mixing EGaIn and Ag microflakes promotes the formation of AgIn2 microparticles, resulting in a cohesive bi-phasic ink. The ink can be sintered at room temperature, making it compatible with many heat-sensitive substrates. Additionally, utilizing a simple commercial extrusion based printer, the ability to perform stencil-free, digital printing of multi-layer stretchable circuits over various substrates, including medical wound-dressing adhesives, is demonstrated for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Alhais Lopes
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
| | - Daniel Félix Fernandes
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
| | - André F Silva
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
| | - Daniel Green Marques
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
| | - Aníbal T de Almeida
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
| | - Carmel Majidi
- Integrated Soft Materials Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Mahmoud Tavakoli
- Institute of Systems and Robotics, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3030-290, Portugal
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He J, Liang S, Li F, Yang Q, Huang M, He Y, Fan X, Wu M. Recent Development in Liquid Metal Materials. ChemistryOpen 2021; 10:360-372. [PMID: 33656291 PMCID: PMC7953469 DOI: 10.1002/open.202000330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid metals (LM) have shown a very broad development prospect over the past decades. This review article focuses on the latest research dedicated to liquid metal materials and their applications in five significant areas: stretchable conductive composite, intelligent sensing electronic skin, catalysis, 3D printing material, and driving machines. The fabrication, specific properties and application of stretchable liquid metal-polymer composites that can be used as self-healing materials have been summarized. Liquid metal deposition printing technology, liquid phase 3D printing, suspension 3D printing technology, micro-contact printing technology, and in vivo 3D printing molding technology have also been reviewed. Furthermore, the application of liquid metal catalyst in aldehyde reaction, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis have been discussed. We have shown that electricity, magnetism, sound, light and heat could stimulate the movement of liquid metal. Through this comprehensive overview of the latest research, the main practical application, development, and mechanism of liquid metal were summarized and described. The future development of liquid metal technology was prospected, thus providing a strong basic research support for the further development of LM materials and their applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng He
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Shuting Liang
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation TechnologiesChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Shenzhen Automotive Research InstituteBeijing Institute of TechnologyShenzhen518118China
| | - Qiangbin Yang
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Mengjun Huang
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Yu He
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Xiaona Fan
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
| | - Meilin Wu
- College of Chemical and Environmental EngineeringChongqing University of Arts and Sciences YongChuanChongqing402160China
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Ochirkhuyag N, Matsuda R, Song Z, Nakamura F, Endo T, Ota H. Liquid metal-based nanocomposite materials: fabrication technology and applications. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:2113-2135. [PMID: 33465221 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr07479a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Research on liquid metals has been steadily garnering more interest in recent times, especially in flexible electronics applications because of their properties like possessing high conductivity and being liquid state at room temperature. The unique properties afforded by such materials at low temperatures can compensate for the limitations of stretchable electronic devices, particularly robustness and their fluidic property, which can enhance the flexibility and deformation of these devices. Therefore, interest in liquid-metal nanoparticles and liquid metals with nanocomposites has enabled research into their fabrication technologies as well as utilisation in fields such as chemistry, polymer engineering, computational modelling, and nanotechnology. In particular, in flexible and stretchable electronic device applications, the research attention is focused on the fabrication methodologies of liquid-metal nanoparticles and liquid metals containing nanocomposites. This review attempts to summarise the available stretchable and flexible electronics applications that use liquid-metal nanoparticles as well as liquid metals with nanomaterial additives.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryosuke Matsuda
- Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Zihao Song
- Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Fumika Nakamura
- Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Takuma Endo
- Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroki Ota
- Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan
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31
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Liu X, Liang X, Lin Z, Lei Z, Xiong Y, Hu Y, Zhu P, Sun R, Wong CP. Highly Sensitive and Stretchable Strain Sensor Based on a Synergistic Hybrid Conductive Network. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:42420-42429. [PMID: 32833419 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c12642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Highly sensitive and stretchable strain sensors have attracted considerable attention due to their promising applications in human motion detection, soft robot, wearable electronics, etc. However, there is still a trade-off between high sensitivity and high stretchability. Here, we reported a stretchable strain sensor by sandwiching reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-coated polystyrene microspheres (PS@RGO) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) conductive hybrids in an elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix. Due to the synergistic effect of PS@RGO and AgNWs, the PDMS/PS@RGO/AgNWs/PDMS sensor exhibits a high initial electrical conductivity of 8791 S m-1, wide working range of 0-230%, large gauge factor of 11 at 0-60% of strain and 47 at 100%-230% of strain with a high linear coefficient of 0.9594 and 0.9947, respectively, low limit of detection (LOD) of 1% of strain, and excellent long-term stability over 1000 stretching/releasing cycles under 50% strain. Furthermore, the strain sensor has been demonstrated in detecting human body motion and fan rotation with high stretchability and stability, showing potential application in intelligent robot and Internet of things.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuebin Liu
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xianwen Liang
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhiqiang Lin
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Zuomin Lei
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yaoxu Xiong
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen College of Advanced Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yougen Hu
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Pengli Zhu
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Rong Sun
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ching-Ping Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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32
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Handschuh-Wang S, Wang T, Zhu L, Xu Y, Huang L, Gan T, Tang Y, Zhou X. Corrosion-Resistant Functional Diamond Coatings for Reliable Interfacing of Liquid Metals with Solid Metals. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:40891-40900. [PMID: 32805806 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c09428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Gallium-based liquid metals (GLMs) exist as atypical liquid-phase metals at and near room temperature while being electrically and thermally conductive, enabling copious applications in soft electronics and thermal management systems. Yet, solid metals are affected by interfacing with GLMs, resulting in liquid metal embrittlement and device failure. To avert this issue, mechanically durable and electrically tunable diffusion barriers for long-term reliable liquid metal-solid metal interfacing based on the deposition of various diamond coatings are designed and synthesized, as they feature high chemical inertness and extraordinary mechanical resistance. The diamond coatings show superlyophobicity (GLM contact angle ≥ 155°) and are nonstick toward GLMs, thereby achieving high mobility of GLM droplets (sliding angle 8-12°). The excellent barrier and anti-adhesion performance of the diamond coatings are proven in long-term experiments (3 weeks) of coated titanium alloy (Ti) samples in contact with GLMs. The electrical performance of the conductive diamond coating deposited on Ti is reliable and stable over a period of 50 h. As proof-of-concept applications a switch and a thermal management device based on liquid metals are demonstrated, signifying that coating diamond films on metals is a potent means to achieve stable integration of solid metals with GLMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Handschuh-Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Tao Wang
- Functional Thin Films Research Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Lifei Zhu
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Yang Xu
- Functional Thin Films Research Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Lei Huang
- Functional Thin Films Research Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Tiansheng Gan
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Yongbing Tang
- Functional Thin Films Research Center, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Xuechang Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
- Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
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Wei Q, Sun M, Wang Z, Yan J, Yuan R, Liu T, Majidi C, Matyjaszewski K. Surface Engineering of Liquid Metal Nanodroplets by Attachable Diblock Copolymers. ACS NANO 2020; 14:9884-9893. [PMID: 32649179 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metal (LM) micro/nano droplets have promising applications in various fields such as flexible electronics, catalysis, and soft composites as well as biomedicines. However, the preparation of highly stable LM nanodroplets suspension based on eutectic gallium/indium (EGaIn) alloys is still challenging. Herein, we report a general and robust strategy to fabricate EGaIn nanodroplets stabilized by polymer brushes (polymer brushes/EGaIn nanodroplets) via in situ attachment of well-defined diblock copolymers with short poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) anchoring segments. Under ultrasonication, the anchoring PAA block is in situ attached onto the gallium oxide "skin" layer of EGaIn nanodroplets to form polymer brushes. The attachable diblock copolymer surfactants allow for highly efficient formation of EGaIn nanodroplets in high yield and with narrow size distribution. The polymer brushes/EGaIn nanodroplets contain very low fractions of attached polymer (<1 wt %) and exhibit high colloidal stability (>30 days) and good redispersibility. Precise control of polymer architecture by atom-transfer radical polymerization was employed to prepare various block copolymers for suspensions in a variety of solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangbing Wei
- Key Laboratory of Eco-functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Mingkang Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zongyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jiajun Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Rui Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Tong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Carmel Majidi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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Liu L, Shen Z, Zhang X, Ma H. Highly conductive graphene/carbon black screen printing inks for flexible electronics. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 582:12-21. [PMID: 32814220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.07.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The industrial scale production and application of liquid conductive nanomaterials with well-defined conductive properties, printing adaptability and mechanical properties are crucial for the flexible electronic devices. Although graphene can be used as an attractive liquid nanoink platform for electronic devices, it is still a major challenge to prepare graphene conductive inks with high concentration, conductivity and stability with graphene powders as raw materials and improve the post-treatment process for printed patterns. Here, a novel graphene-based screen printing conductive ink employing liquid-exfoliated graphene powders produced by jet cavitation and carbon black jointly as conductive filler is presented. The inks with graphene powders containing thicker smaller-area flakes and carbon black fraction of 15% in the total conductive fillers exhibit printability down to lines of 90 μm in width and printed pattern electrical conductivity of 2.15 × 104 S/m at 7 μm thickness along with outstanding mechanical properties. Also, special post-treatment, i.e. heating-compression rolling-heating, makes the conductive ink formulation compatible with a wide range of substrates and suitable for Roll-to-Roll applications. Overall, this paper provides a new solution to high-efficiency, low-cost, large-scale production of printed flexible electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Lab. for Powder Technology Research and Development, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhigang Shen
- Beijing Key Lab. for Powder Technology Research and Development, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Xiaojing Zhang
- Beijing Key Lab. for Powder Technology Research and Development, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Han Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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35
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Neumann TV, Facchine EG, Leonardo B, Khan S, Dickey MD. Direct write printing of a self-encapsulating liquid metal-silicone composite. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:6608-6618. [PMID: 32613217 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00803f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Silicone composites featuring inclusions of liquid metal particles are soft and stretchable materials with useful electric, dielectric, mechanical, and thermal properties. Until recently, these materials have primarily been cast as films. This work examines the possibility of using uncured liquid metal-elastomer (LME) composites as inks for direct writing. The liquid metal inclusions act as rheological modifiers for the silicone, forming a gel-structure that can be extruded from a nozzle and hold its shape after printing. Additionally, by tuning the particle size, larger particles in the printed structures can settle to form metal-rich regions at the bottom of the structures, encased by metal-depleted (insulating) regions. Using mechanical force, the liquid metal-rich interior can be rendered conductive by sintering without affecting the insulating exterior. Thus, it is possible to print this soft and stretchable material while creating conductors with self-insulating shells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor V Neumann
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Emily G Facchine
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Brian Leonardo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Saad Khan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Michael D Dickey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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36
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Han J, Tang J, Idrus-Saidi SA, Christoe MJ, O'Mullane AP, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Exploring Electrochemical Extrusion of Wires from Liquid Metals. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:31010-31020. [PMID: 32545950 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c07697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Metal melt extrusion in gaseous or vacuum environments is a classical approach for forming wires. However, such extrusions have not been investigated in ionic solutions. Here, we use liquid metal (LM) gallium (Ga) and its eutectic alloy with indium (EGaIn) to explore the possibility of electrochemical extrusion of wires and study the tuning of the self-liming oxide layers as the coating for these wires formed during the process. By controlling the surface tension of the LM immersed in an electrolyte, and through the electrocapillary effect, we enable the extrusion of LM wires. The surface morphologies of LM wires and the thickness of the oxide layers are investigated when Ga and EGaIn are processed in neutral and basic electrolytes using various voltages. Taking advantage of the LM oxides, we show that LM wires offer tunable surface oxide thickness and composition using the electrochemical system and investigate the related working mechanisms. The wires are formed into patterns using an automated stage and show a self-healing capability. This work presents an unconventional method for electrochemical fabrication of LM wires, offering prospects for further research and industrial scale-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Shuhada A Idrus-Saidi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Michael J Christoe
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Anthony P O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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37
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Kim MG, Lee B, Li M, Noda S, Kim C, Kim J, Song WJ, Lee SW, Brand O. All-Soft Supercapacitors Based on Liquid Metal Electrodes with Integrated Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes. ACS NANO 2020; 14:5659-5667. [PMID: 32379413 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Soft energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors, are an essential component for powering integrated soft microsystems. However, conventional supercapacitors are mainly manufactured using hard/brittle materials that easily crack and eventually delaminate from the current collector by mechanical deformation. Therefore, to realize all-soft supercapacitors, the electrodes should be soft, stretchable, and highly conductive without compromising the electrochemical performance. This paper presents all-soft supercapacitors for integrated soft microsystems based on gallium-indium liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium alloy, EGaIn) electrodes with integrated functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Oxygen functional groups on the surface of the CNTs ensure strong adhesion between the functionalized CNTs and the thin native oxide layer on the surface of EGaIn, which enables delamination-free soft and stretchable electrodes even under mechanical deformation. The electrochemical performances of fabricated all-soft supercapacitors in a parallel-plate arrangement were investigated without and with applied mechanical deformation. The fabricated supercapacitors exhibit areal capacitances as high as 12.4 mF cm-2 and show nearly unchanged performance under 30% applied strain. They maintain >95% of their original capacitance after >4200 charging and discharging cycles with a periodic applied strain of 30%. Finally, fabricated supercapacitors have been successfully integrated with a commercial light-emitting diode to demonstrate an integrated soft microsystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Gu Kim
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Byeongyong Lee
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Mochen Li
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Suguru Noda
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Choongsoon Kim
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Jayoung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Woo-Jin Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Seung Woo Lee
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Oliver Brand
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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38
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Merhebi S, Mayyas M, Abbasi R, Christoe MJ, Han J, Tang J, Rahim MA, Yang J, Tan TT, Chu D, Zhang J, Li S, Wang CH, Kalantar-Zadeh K, Allioux FM. Magnetic and Conductive Liquid Metal Gels. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:20119-20128. [PMID: 32264673 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c03166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Liquid metals are fast becoming a new class of universal and frictionless additives for the development of multifunctional soft and flexible materials. Herein, nanodroplets of eutectic gallium-indium alloy, which is liquid at room temperature, were used as a platform for the formulation of electrically conductive and magnetically responsive gels with the incorporation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The nanoadditives were prepared in situ within a water-based solution of polyvinyl alcohol. A borax cross-linking reaction was then performed to yield multifunctional flexible and self-healing gels. The physicochemical properties and changes in the nanoadditives at each step of the gel preparation method were characterized. Oxidation and complexation reactions between the liquid metal and iron oxide nanoadditives were observed. A mixture of nanosized functional magnetic Fe3O4/Fe2O3 and In-Fe oxide complexes was found to enable the magnetic susceptibility of the gels. The mechanical and self-healing properties of the gels were assessed, and finally, this flexible and multifunctional material was used as an electronic switch via remote magnetic actuation. The developed conductive and magnetic gels demonstrate great potential for the design of soft electronic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Merhebi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Mohannad Mayyas
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Roozbeh Abbasi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Michael J Christoe
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Md Arifur Rahim
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Thiam Teck Tan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Dewei Chu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Sean Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Chun H Wang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Francois-Marie Allioux
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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Idrus-Saidi SA, Tang J, Yang J, Han J, Daeneke T, O’Mullane AP, Kalantar-Zadeh K. Liquid Metal-Based Route for Synthesizing and Tuning Gas-Sensing Elements. ACS Sens 2020; 5:1177-1189. [PMID: 32223132 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There is a strong demand for developing tunable and facile routes for synthesizing gas-sensitive semiconducting compounds. The concept of synthesizing micro- and nanoparticles of metallic compounds in a tunable process, which relies on liquid metals, is presented here. This is a liquid-based ultrasonication procedure within which additional metallic elements (In, Sn, and Zn) are incorporated into liquid Ga that is sonicated in a secondary solvent. We investigate liquid metal sonication in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water to show their impact on the size, morphology, and crystal structure of the particulated products. The synthesized materials are annealed to investigate their responses to model reducing (H2) and oxidizing (NO2) gas species. The preparation process in DMSO gives rise to predominantly monoclinic Ga2O3 crystals which are favorable for gas sensing, while the emergence of rhombohedral Ga2O3 phases from the water sonication process led to inactive samples. The ease of tunability without hazardous precursors during the synthesis procedure is demonstrated. The route presented here can be uniquely employed for designing and engineering on-demand functional materials for sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhada A. Idrus-Saidi
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jianbo Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jiong Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jialuo Han
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Torben Daeneke
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Anthony P. O’Mullane
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
| | - Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
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