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Yu R, Wu L, Yang Z, Wu J, Chen H, Pan S, Zhu M. Dynamic Liquid Metal-Microfiber Interlocking Enables Highly Conductive and Strain-insensitive Metastructured Fibers for Wearable Electronics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2025; 37:e2415268. [PMID: 39690796 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202415268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2024] [Revised: 11/30/2024] [Indexed: 12/19/2024]
Abstract
Stretchable fibers with high conductivity are vital components for smart textiles and wearable electronics. However, embedding solid conductive materials in polymers significantly reduces conductive pathways when stretched, causing a sharp drop in conductivity. Here, a stretchable metastructured fiber with dynamic liquid metal-microfiber interlocking interface is reported to realize highly conductive yet ultrastable conductance. The Cu-EGaIn mixture is partially embedded within the porous microfiber mat, thereby enabling its roll-up into a spiral-layered metastructured fiber with self-compensating conductive pathways. The metastructured fiber shows outstanding performance, including high conductivity of 1.5 × 106 S m-1, large stretchability up to 629%, and ultrastable conductance with only 16% relative resistance change at 100% strain, which far surpasses the theoretical value. Moreover, these fibers have served as versatile platforms for wearable temperature-visualizing electrothermal fiber heaters and fully stretchable smart sensing-display fabrics. This dynamic solid-liquid interfacial interlocking strategy is promising for stretchable electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rouhui Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Liang Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Zhonghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Jin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies and the Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Display Material and Technology, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Huifang Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Shaowu Pan
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Meifang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
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Wang Y, Tang J, He M, Huang L, Wang X, Yu J. Optimization of Electromagnetic-Wave Reflectivity Performance of Electromagnetic Shielding Yarn Prepared by Evaporation-Induced Sintering of Ga 60.5In 25Sn 13Zn 1.5 Alloy with Nanosilicates. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:24507-24515. [PMID: 39513352 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding textiles have received widespread attention, and liquid metal (LM) shows superiority in flexible and deformable electronics. Here, we introduce a novel method using nanosilicates to help sinter LM through capillary evaporation, resulting in strong adhesion to substrates. By adjustment of the amount of nanosilicates, flexible EMI shielding yarns are created using dip-coating and curing processes. The sintered LM tightly adhered to the undulating and uneven surfaces of polyurethane (PU) yarns. The as-fabricated ION/LM@PU ("ION" is abbreviation of "ionogel") has strong EMI shielding and low EM-wave reflection due to the high electrical conductivity of the LM layer and good impedance matching of P(AAm-co-AA) ionogel. The addition of an ionogel enhances EM-wave absorption and strengthens interfacial polarization, making it an effective green EMI shielding yarn for reducing secondary reflection pollution. ION/LM@PU exhibited high total electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SET) (∼56 dB), low reflected power coefficient (R) (∼0.153), high impedance matching (|Zin/Z0| ≈ 0.660), high tensile strength (∼23.75 MPa), and high elastic recovery (∼0.92 at 10th stretch-release cycle). The EMI shielding mechanism of ION/LM@PU ± 60° is composed of reflective loss and absorption loss (including multireflective loss, conduction loss, dipole polarization loss, and interfacial polarization loss).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichao Wang
- College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Jingli Tang
- College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Mengjuan He
- College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201600, China
| | - Liqian Huang
- College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201600, China
- Clothing and Design Faculty, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Xueli Wang
- Textile Technology Innovation Center, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jianyong Yu
- Textile Technology Innovation Center, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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Khan MA, Attique S, Ali N, Shehzad K, Gong N, Zhou N, Chen X, Li Z, Gao Y, Yan M, Qiu J, Ma Z, Xu B. Development of a Highly Sensitive and Stretchable Charge-Transfer Fiber Strain Sensor for Wearable Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:54520-54528. [PMID: 39340431 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c07698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Wearable electronics have significantly advanced the development of highly stretchable strain sensors, which are essential for applications such as health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and energy harvesting. Fiber-based sensors and polymeric materials are promising due to their flexibility and tunable properties, although balancing sensitivity and stretchability remains a challenge. This study introduces a novel composite strain sensor that combines poly(3-hexylthiophene) and tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane to form a charge-transfer complex (CTC) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a styrene-butadiene-styrene substrate. The CTC improves conductivity through effective charge transfer, while CNTs provide mechanical reinforcement and maintain conductive paths, preventing cracks under large strains. Purposefully introduced wrinkles in the structure enhance the detection of small strains. The sensor demonstrated a broad strain-sensing range from 0.01 to 200%, exhibiting high sensitivity to both minor and major deformations. Mechanical tests confirmed strong stress-strain performance, and electrical tests indicated significant conductivity improvements with CNT integration. These results highlight the potential of the sensor for applications in health monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and energy harvesting, effectively mimicking the tactile sensing abilities of human skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Anees Khan
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Sanam Attique
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Nasir Ali
- Research Center for Frontier and Fundamental Studies, Zhejiang Laboratory, Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Khurram Shehzad
- Institute of Physics, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 22B,44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Nan Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Ningjing Zhou
- Research Center for Frontier and Fundamental Studies, Zhejiang Laboratory, Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Xiangxiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Zicheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Yang Gao
- Center for X-Mechanics, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Key Laboratory of Soft Machines and Smart Devices of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Mi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Novel Materials for Information Technology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Jianrong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Zhijun Ma
- Research Center for Frontier and Fundamental Studies, Zhejiang Laboratory, Yuhang District, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Beibei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Extreme Photonics and Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
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Liu X, Xu H, Li J, Liu Y, Fan H. Review of Liquid Metal Fiber Based Biosensors and Bioelectronics. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:490. [PMID: 39451703 PMCID: PMC11506175 DOI: 10.3390/bios14100490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2024] [Revised: 09/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/26/2024]
Abstract
Liquid metal, as a novel material, has become ideal for the fabrication of flexible conductive fibers and has shown great potential in the field of biomedical sensing. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the unique properties of liquid metals such as gallium-based alloys, including their excellent electrical conductivity, mobility, and biocompatibility. These properties make liquid metals ideal for the fabrication of flexible and malleable biosensors. The article explores common preparation methods for liquid metal conductive fibers, such as internal liquid metal filling, surface printing with liquid metal, and liquid metal coating techniques, and their applications in health monitoring, neural interfaces, and wearable devices. By summarizing and analyzing the current research, this paper aims to reveal the current status and challenges of liquid metal conductive fibers in the field of biosensors and to look forward to their development in the future, which will provide valuable references and insights for researchers in the field of biomedical engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yanqing Liu
- Institute of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (X.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Haojun Fan
- Institute of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (X.L.); (J.L.)
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Liang S, Yang J, Li F, Xie S, Song N, Hu L. Recent progress in liquid metal printing and its applications. RSC Adv 2023; 13:26650-26662. [PMID: 37681047 PMCID: PMC10481125 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra04356h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper focuses on the latest research printing technology and broad application for flexible liquid metal (LM) materials. Through the newest template printing method, centrifugal force assisted method, pen lithography technology, and laser method, the precision of liquid metal printing on the devices was improved to 10 nm. The development of novel liquid metal inks, such as PVA-LM ink and ethanol/PDMS/LM double emulsion ink, have further enhanced the recovery, rapid printing, high conductivity, and strain resistance. At the same time, liquid metals also show promise in the application of biochemical sensors, photocatalysts, composite materials, driving machines, and electrode materials. Liquid metals have been applied to biomedical, pressure/gas, and electrochemical sensors. The sensitivity, biostability, and electrochemical performance of these LM sensors were improved rapidly. They could continue to be used in healthy respiratory, heartbeat monitoring, and dopamine detection. Meanwhile, the applications of liquid metal droplets in catalytic-assisted MoS2 deposition, catalytic growth of two-dimensional (2D) lamellar, catalytic free radical polymerization, catalytic hydrogen absorption/dehydrogenation, photo/electrocatalysis, and other fields were also summarized. Through improving liquid metal composites, magnetic, thermal, electrical, and tensile enhancement alloys, and shape memory alloys with excellent properties could also be prepared. Finally, the applications of liquid metal in micro-motors, intelligent robot feet, nanorobots, self-actuation, and electrode materials were also summarized. This paper comprehensively summarizes the practical application of liquid metals in different fields, which helps understand LMs development trends, and lays a foundation for subsequent research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Liang
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang Province Hangzhou 310018 China
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- Shenzhen Automotive Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Technology Shenzhen 518118 PR China
| | - Shunbi Xie
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Environmental Materials & Remediation Technologies, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences Chongqing 402160 PR China
| | - Na Song
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing Municipal Chinese Medicine Hospital Chongqing 400021 China
| | - Liang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University Beijing 100083 PR China
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Yang B, Yang Z, Tang L. Recent progress in fiber-based soft electronics enabled by liquid metal. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1178995. [PMID: 37187888 PMCID: PMC10175636 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1178995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft electronics can seamlessly integrate with the human skin which will greatly improve the quality of life in the fields of healthcare monitoring, disease treatment, virtual reality, and human-machine interfaces. Currently, the stretchability of most soft electronics is achieved by incorporating stretchable conductors with elastic substrates. Among stretchable conductors, liquid metals stand out for their metal-grade conductivity, liquid-grade deformability, and relatively low cost. However, the elastic substrates usually composed of silicone rubber, polyurethane, and hydrogels have poor air permeability, and long-term exposure can cause skin redness and irritation. The substrates composed of fibers usually have excellent air permeability due to their high porosity, making them ideal substrates for soft electronics in long-term applications. Fibers can be woven directly into various shapes, or formed into various shapes on the mold by spinning techniques such as electrospinning. Here, we provide an overview of fiber-based soft electronics enabled by liquid metals. An introduction to the spinning technology is provided. Typical applications and patterning strategies of liquid metal are presented. We review the latest progress in the design and fabrication of representative liquid metal fibers and their application in soft electronics such as conductors, sensors, and energy harvesting. Finally, we discuss the challenges of fiber-based soft electronics and provide an outlook on future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Fundamental Research on Biomechanics in Clinical Application, School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zihan Yang
- Fashion Accessory Art and Engineering College, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zihan Yang, ; Lixue Tang,
| | - Lixue Tang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Fundamental Research on Biomechanics in Clinical Application, School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zihan Yang, ; Lixue Tang,
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