Liquid Metal Based Flexible and Implantable Biosensors
Mingkuan Zhang1,2,3, Xiaohong Wang1,2,4, Zhiping Huang5
1Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Beijing 100190, China.
Biosensors
|November 13, 2020
Summary
Researchers are exploring liquid metal for advanced biosensors. This review covers their applications in pressure, strain, gas, temperature, electrical, and optical sensing, highlighting future potential.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Biosensors are crucial for acquiring physiological data from living organisms.
- Flexible and implantable biosensors with high biocompatibility are increasingly favored.
- Novel materials are sought for next-generation flexible sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the state-of-the-art applications of liquid metal in biosensors.
- To cover seven key aspects of liquid metal biosensor applications.
- To outline scientific and technological challenges and future perspectives.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on liquid metal applications in biosensors.
- Categorization of applications into pressure, strain, gas, temperature, electrical, optical, and multifunctional sensors.
- Analysis of fundamental scientific and technological challenges.
Main Results:
- Liquid metal exhibits high electrical conductivity, low toxicity, and superior fluidity, making it ideal for biosensors.
- Applications span diverse sensing modalities including pressure, strain, gas, temperature, electrical, and optical sensing.
- Multifunctional biosensors utilizing liquid metal are also discussed.
Conclusions:
- Liquid metal is a highly promising material for developing advanced biosensors.
- Addressing current challenges will stimulate future innovations in liquid metal-based biosensor design.
- The review provides a comprehensive outlook on the future of liquid metal biosensors.
